“Political Reasons” Robbed Mick Schumacher of 2023 F1 Seat, Gifting It to a Rookie Instead

As Pierre Gasly‘s interest in Alpine became more and more evident with the passing of time, AlphaTauri started actively looking for a suitable replacement. Eventually, a rookie Dutchman, Nyck de Vries, found himself in that coveted seat. But the lesser-known fact is that team principal Franz Tost, team principal of the Scuderia AlphaTauri, wanted to sign Mick Schumacher. He has revealed that he wanted to sign the German for the team, but a combination of factors prevented this move from happening.

Mick Schumacher was relieved from Haas at the end of 2022. The events that transpired through the 2022 season for the junior Schumacher were not favorable. His damage bill piled up so high that a small team like Haas was reluctant to extend his contract. Though he showcased some brilliant racing competing with the likes of Hamilton and Verstappen, he was unable to secure a seat for 2023. However, what is less known is that Franz Tost was interested in acquiring Schumacher last year.

In an interview with RTL, Tost said, “I would have actually liked to have had Mick in the car. [I am] convinced that Mick is talented and that he also has what it takes to drive successfully in Formula 1.” [Translated using Google]

However, “other circumstances” and “political reasons” prevented this move from materializing. Schumacher, being from the Ferrari camp, was a roadblock in the materialization of a contract with Red Bull’s sister team.

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Failing to fight a spot on the grid, Mick opted for the next best option. He became a reserve driver for Mercedes.

F1 fans see Mercedes & Schumacher combo after a decade

The Schumacher name returned home. Michael Schumacher made his return on the grid with The Silver Arrows. He raced alongside Nico Rosberg before the dawn of the hybrid era. The Schumacher name will always be special to the German team. The world champion became their first driver for the team after their return to the sport. It was almost poetic that Mercedes rescued the junior Schumacher when he failed to bag a seat for 2023.

Despite Mick’s harsh treatment by Haas, Toto Wolff is happy to have Mick onboard. He feels the German could be helpful with the simulator and car development. His experience of two years could be very useful for the team when it comes to the role of a reserve driver at Mercedes.

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Will Mick Schumacher be back on track in a full-time driver capacity in the future? Maybe. We will have to wait and see what the future holds for the German.