Mick Schumacher steps down as Mercedes reserve driver amid Bottas rumours · RaceFans
Mercedes has confirmed its reserve driver Mick Schumacher will not continue with the team after the end of this season.
Schumacher, son of seven-times world champion Michael, has been Mercedes’ reserve since the beginning of the 2023 season.
Despite not having to be called upon to step in for either Lewis Hamilton or George Russell over those two seasons, Schumacher has been present at most grands prix in the Mercedes garage and taken part in simulator work and testing with previous cars (TPC) tests with older Mercedes F1 cars.
After Mercedes chose not to replace the departing Hamilton with Schumacher for 2025 – instead selecting rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli – Schumacher will now leave his role at Mercedes following next weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The team’s former driver Valtteri Bottas, who will leave Sauber at the end of the year, has been tipped to return to the team as a reserve.
Schumacher thanked Mercedes for making him the team’s reserve but admitted he wanted to focus all his energy on racing opportunities, such as his role as a race driver for Alpine’s factory hypercar team in the World Endurance Championship.
“[Mercedes] have undoubtedly made me a more experienced racing driver because I have got to know the engineering side better,” said Schumacher. “But watching these cars race and not sitting in the cockpit myself is tough.
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“I want to get back to focusing 100% on racing. I want to be fully committed to the sporting side of motorsport. Ultimately, it is racing that you want to do as a driver, it is racing that gives you that feeling you love.”
Team principal Toto Wolff said Mercedes “couldn’t have asked for any more from him.”
“Mick’s hard work, diligence, and determination in his role as reserve driver has been vital for the team over the past two years,” Wolff said. “From day one, he fitted into the team with ease and has become an incredibly well-liked colleague for everyone at Brackley and Brixworth.
“However, Mick is first and foremost a racing driver. We have seen from both his time in F1, and this year with his performances in the World Endurance Championship, that he is a racer of an incredibly high calibre and one that deserves to be competing in the very best championships. As he moves on to his next challenge, I would like to thank Mick personally for his contribution to our team and we all wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”
Schumacher raced for two seasons in Formula 1 with Haas in 2021 and 2022 after winning the F2 title in 2020. After he was beaten in the championship by returning veteran team mate Kevin Magnussen in 2022, Haas decided to replace Schumacher with Nico Hulkenberg for 2023.
Over 43 grand prix starts, Schumacher scored a total of 12 points – all in his second season in 2023 – just under half the total of team mate Magnussen. His career best result came in that year’s Austrian Grand Prix, where he finished sixth.
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