How does it feel to face rejection again and again? No one knows the feeling better than Mick Schumacher. Haas replaced him after a terrible 2-season stint, and he remained as a Mercedes extra for years. Schumacher Jr. has experienced all the bitter sides of F1. However, Mick surely did not have rejection by Alpine on his 2024 bingo card. The German driver has somewhat become accustomed to being denied opportunities in F1. But, unexpectedly, they did not tell him about the change in plans.

Earlier this year, Alpine gave Michael Schumacher’s son a chance to test drive one of the previous F1 models. Reports said the results were promising; so Mick’s return to F1 also looked promising. However, when Jack Doohan entered the scene, things began to turn upside down. The 21-year-old Aussie, closely linked to Schumacher, allegedly had better test drive results. Therefore, on Friday, August 23, the French racing team, announced Doohan as their replacement for Esteban Ocon in 2025.

Mick Schumacher boldly claimed that Flavio Briatore and Co. did not tell him anything. The 25-year-old told SkySports Germany that Alpine did not inform him personally that he would not be driving for the French Formula 1 team in 2025. He found out on Instagram that the choice had fallen on Jack Doohan. It is “somehow understandable that they chose that route,” explained Mick. Moreover, Jack Doohan has been with Alpine since his junior days. Meanwhile, Mick’s uncle Ralf Schumacher thinks that there is no way at all that Alpine didn’t inform his nephew.

Keeping up with their rituals of miscommunication, Alpine has once again repeated similar mistakes. At the same time, Mick isn’t losing hope, as two more teams on the grid do not have a driver yet. One is Mercedes and the other is Sauber/Audi. But his chances of getting a seat in either of the teams is equivalent to Sebastian Vettel’s F1 comeback. Moreover, this incident of ‘no information’ brings back memories from two years ago, when Alpine did something similar to Oscar Piastri.

Is Alpine’s Mick Schumacher fiasco a reiteration of the Oscar Piastri incident in 2022?

As we know, the current McLaren star, Oscar Piastri was the reserve driver for the Alpine F1 Team in 2o22. He was also, the reigning F2 champion with the same team. Just like Oscar’s family, Alpine themselves had thought they’d promote the Aussie to the F1 team. This is where the blunder happened. The team announced that Oscar Piastri was joining the team in 2023, partnering with Esteban Ocon. Little did they know, this move would backfire terribly. The then-team principal Otmar Sfaznauer, was under criticism for being the careless decision.

Piastri took to his social media and declared: “I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.” This declaration sent shockwaves to the motorsport community and McLaren grabbed this opportunity to get Oscar in their team.

Two years ago, Alpine had made the mistake of not communicating their desire with Piastri- signs of miscommunication. After all these years, nothing much has changed. This time too, there has been an alleged lack of communication between the French team and Mick Schumacher. The German driver simply implied that if the team is not picking them, then they must have the courtesy to let him know.

At the end of the day, it is Jack Doohan with a seat in F1, while Mick has to wait for more. Does he have a chance at Audi or Mercedes? The prospects are bleak but not zero. However, he has to continue at WEC as an Alpine driver, suppressing his sorrow and keeping up with the goodwill of the sport. What is your take on this? Share below.