Mick Schumacher looking to be back on the grid next season at the ‘latest’

Mick Schumacher talks about how he’s working ‘very hard’ behind the scenes with Mercedes and how he’s ‘sure’ ‘something will develop in the near future.’

After 43 races together Mick Schumacher left his former team, Haas at the end of the 2022 season. He joined the team back in 2021 and was partnered with both Nikita Mazepin and Kevin Magnussen throughout his stint with the team. While with Haas,  Schumacher was a part of the Ferrari Driver Academy and was also a reserve driver for the main team. Their 4-year partnership abruptly ended in December of 2022 when it was announced Schumacher would be leaving the Ferrari Family and joining his Dad’s – Michael Schumacher – former team, Mercedes, as their reserve driver.

Schumacher’s sim work

Schumacher has been with Mercedes throughout the season so far, providing essential sim data to the team and how it has been a ‘tremendous advantage’

Toto Wolff spoke to RacingNews365 and said

“In the simulator with his feedback, that is of tremendous advantage. At some of the European grands prix, having him on the sim overnight [on the Friday] and providing data for the Saturday is a super advantage for us.”

As well as the team principal talking about how great of an asset Schumacher has been the past couple of races. After the Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell also had their say about how Schumacher sim work has been crucial for their performances and how it has helped them achieve better results in the W14.

“We’ve got a great team, with Mick back in the simulator on Friday night and he did some great work, which helped us get on the right track on Saturday.“ Said Lewis Hamilton.

“The work that Mick and the simulator team are doing overnight, they were there well past midnight to help us with the setup and get it in a good window for the race today.” George Russell added.

Also during the Spanish Grand Prix, Schumacher had a Pirelli test with the W14 to test the slicks that are in development for 2024. Schumacher did 147 laps around the Circuit de Catalunya.

When will Schumacher return to the grid?

It is not been confirmed if Schumacher will be in a full-time seat for the 2024 seat. Rumours have been spiralling around the motorsport world for the past couple of weeks of Schumacher being in talks with Williams. When asked about taking the Williams seat mid-season from rookie Logan Sargeant, Schumacher responded with ‘I would do it.’

There has been nothing concrete in regard to Schumacher being an option for 2024, everything has just been rumoured. However, Schumacher mentioned how he thinks he will be back on the grid by next year at the latest. In an interview with the German sports news outlet, RTL he said,

“I am always ready for action. Believe me: I’m working very hard to hopefully be back in the car soon. See you very soon. It should be that time again next year at the latest. I’m sure something will develop in the near future.”

However, team boss, Toto Wolff believes getting the 2024 seat will be ‘difficult’ but there could be a chance for Schumacher to come back in 2025.

“It’s a difficult situation because the cockpits are taken with us and I would wish for Mick [Schumacher] to get a seat, he would have deserved it. The situation in 2024 is so unfavourable. In 2025, a few doors will open again.”

Will 2024 be the year Schumacher makes a return to the grid or will we have to wait a few more seasons before we see his comeback?

Featured image credits: Qian Jun, Getty Images