“I decided I will wait for Formula 1 as long as necessary,” Schumacher declared his availability for a return to top-flight racing.

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Following his first point for Alpine at the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Sao Paulo over the weekend, Mick Schumacher emphasized his desire to return to Formula 1.

Mick, the son of F1 and Ferrari icon Michael Schumacher, fell short of expectations during a challenging and unwise two-year period with Haas. The American team, under the leadership of Guenther Steiner, was not an ideal environment for a young rookie to start his F1 career.

Schumacher was let go by Haas in 2023 after Ferrari stopped supporting him financially, following his 43 Grand Prix starts in 2021 and 2022. He then joined Mercedes as a reserve driver, transitioning from observing F1 races on screens to standing behind team principal Toto Wolff.

Seat time in real race cars became a priority for 25-year-old Schumacher. He was duly signed by Alpine for their 2024 WEC Hypercar programme and shares a car with endurance and sportscar veteran Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxivière.

Together they finished P10 in Sao Paulo, bagging their first point of the season. This move to the World Endurance Championship marked a significant shift in Schumacher's career trajectory, allowing him to hone his skills in a different racing environment while still keeping his ultimate goal of returning to Formula 1 in sight. The partnership with Lapierre and Vaxivière brings a mix of experience and talent to the team, providing Schumacher with valuable insights and guidance as he navigates this new chapter.

Schumacher informed AFP after the race in Brazil: “It is important for me to return to Formula 1 to show what I can do. My chances seem to be pretty good so far At the moment, it is still within reach.

“I have to make sure that I don’t become too confident, that I keep going and make sure that there is a Plan-B in case it doesn’t work out. My plan was always Formula 1, now we have to wait and see what opportunities are presented to me.

“I decided I will wait for Formula 1 as long as necessary,” declared Schumacher, clearly reminding all and sundry that he is still available for a return to the top-flight

Following his test at Le Castellet with Alpine, Mick was behind the wheel for McLaren at Silverstone before flying to Brazil to reunite with his Alpine colleagues.

Commenting on Schumacher's test with the French F1 team, Wolff informed Kronen Zeitung: “From what I know from Alpine, it was a super test. He really delivered, I’m happy to hear that. That’s the message I got. They are super satisfied, but that was to be expected.”

Last year, Mick Schumacher found himself without options as no F1 team changed their drivers. However, this year presents a different scenario with several teams having openings, including Williams, VCARB, Sauber (also known as Audi), Haas, and even Mercedes who are yet to finalize their driver line-ups. It's worth noting that Mick Schumacher currently holds the reserve driver position at Mercedes, adding an interesting dynamic to the mix.

The F1 Silly Season is currently in full swing, with one of the main figures, Carlos Sainz, initially appearing to be set for Williams in 2025. However, the anticipated announcement during the Spanish Grand Prix did not materialize, leaving Sainz's future uncertain and open to speculation.

Sainz, who was displaced by Ferrari to accommodate Lewis Hamilton's arrival at Maranello, is reportedly a highly sought-after driver. The Flavio Briatore-led Alpine team is said to have extended an enticing offer to Sainz's camp, although as of now, no official confirmation has been made.

Until Carlos Sainz finalizes his plans, the F1 driver 'market' will likely remain in a state of uncertainty. Various drivers such as Liam Lawson, Jack Doohan, Kimi Antonelli, and others are currently engaged in the competitive 'musical chair dance' to secure a spot on the 2025 F1 grid, positioning themselves a step or two ahead of Mick Schumacher in the intricate driver selection process.