Mick Schumacher has been off the Formula 1 grid for three years, but there may be hope for a return in 2026.
It could be his last chance, after being snubbed by multiple Formula 1 teams in 2024, including Alpine who he had close ties with through his World Endurance Championship exploits.
Schumacher never got a completely fair crack with Haas and was dealt a tough hand. His story might have been completely different at any other team.
He learned how brutal the sport can be the hard way, and while he still competes in motorsport, he’s yet to receive a golden opportunity to return to single-seater racing.
F1 fans told Toto Wolff he broke a Schumacher promise after releasing him from his duties at Mercedes last year.
Guenther Steiner said he must emulate the ‘lucky’ Oliver Bearman if he wanted to return, but now he’s no longer a reserve driver, he has no chance as a replacement for anyone anymore.
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Bernie Ecclestone backs Mick Schumacher for 2026 F1 seat due to American market
Now 26 years old, Schumacher is approaching the point in his career where he should be in his prime. He’s missing out on crucial development and experience.
If returning to the grid doesn’t happen for him in 2026, he might well have lost his final chance to achieve his dreams and win the title.
Ex-Formula 1 owner Bernie Ecclestone believes that the German would be handy in an American market, which is timely considering Cadillac are the new kids on the block next year.
“If Michael had been at his side, Mick would be a regular driver in Formula 1 today,” he told F1-insider.com.
“What speaks for him: The Schumacher name has even more appeal in the US than in Europe. Formula 1 could still make good use of this name.”
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How did Mick Schumacher perform in his last Formula 1 season?
Schumacher’s last Formula 1 season came back in 2022 with Haas, which was his second full campaign in the sport.
Once a Formula 2 and Formula 3 title winner with Prema, he had hopes of racing for Ferrari one day after being in their driver academy between 2019 and 2022.
It took him until 2022 to score his first points, and he did so twice that year. Back-to-back in Silverstone and Spielberg, he managed 12 points and built some momentum.
He crashed on a few occasions too, and eventually his team lost faith in him just at the wrong time. He was just beginning to show some really impressive pace.
Maybe he will get the chance to return, but if he doesn’t, his career will wind up being a case of what should have been, if his talent had been handled as carefully as it should have.
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