Mick Schumacher rules out switch to Formula E: "Unfortunately not the right thing at the moment"

Former Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher has ruled out a switch to Formula E or another electric racing category for the time being. Instead, Schumacher, who was regarded as Germany's greatest motorsport hope for the future but was not given a race cockpit for 2023, is being touted as a hot candidate for a seat at Alpine in the World Endurance Championship (WEC).

In its first few years, Formula E was mainly regarded by very experienced drivers - including those from F1 - but the picture has now changed significantly. Several drivers, including Max Günther, Nyck de Vries, Dan Ticktum, Jake Hughes and Jehan Daruvala, switched directly from junior formula classes to the electric series. Although Formula E has been held as an official FIA World Championship since 2021, it has not yet been attractive to Schumacher.

"To be completely honest: no," Schumacher replied to TuttoMotori when asked whether he would be interested in a cockpit in Formula E or another electric racing series. "I like combustion engines, I like the smell of petrol. Unfortunately, Formula E is not the right thing for me at the moment."

"Who knows what the future will bring"

However, the son of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher is keeping a door open: "But who knows what the future will bring. If that's what we can still drive then, I'll obviously have to set my expectations a little differently. But I love the old-school cars: V10, V8, when it smells and bangs and fires, and so on. That's what I'm really interested in."

After winning championship titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2, the door to Formula 1 was wide open for Schumacher: The German was part of Scuderia Ferrari's junior programme and was given a cockpit with Ferrari customer team Haas.

After managing to outperform at least his team-mate Nikita Mazepin in his debut season with the inferior car, his second season was anything but as he had hoped. Not only did he lose the team-mate duel against Formula 1 returnee Kevin Magnussen, but also attracted attention with many mistakes and bigger accidents. He lost his cockpit to Nico Hülkenberg and became a test and replacement driver at Mercedes and McLaren.

Alternative WEC?

However, his hopes of a regular F1 cockpit did not materialise, so Schumacher is now looking for opportunities elsewhere. Following a test with Alpine's LMDh car last month, he has been linked to a cockpit with the French team in the World Endurance Championship, but is expected to remain under contract with Mercedes as a reserve driver.