FEBRUARY 17, 2025

Schumacher admits clinging to F1 dream too tightly

Mick Schumacher admits he may have "clung too tightly" to the idea that he may return to the Formula 1 grid.

After losing his Haas seat at the end of 2022, the German patiently served as Mercedes' full-time reserve driver for two years.

For 2025, he has been replaced by Valtteri Bottas, with the now 25-year-old Schumacher to instead focus exclusively on his WEC racing career with Alpine.

I decided at the age of 11 that I wanted to be in Formula 1, the son of the great Michael Schumacher told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "That is still my goal. F1 was and is my lifelong dream.

I still have a score to settle with Formula 1 and want to prove myself there once again.

However, he also openly admits that the time has come to move on.

I realised that I clung too tightly to Plan A in the past, said Schumacher. "I should also have thought about what Plan B and Plan C would look like.

I have realised that now, and I'm happy about it.

Schumacher added that he regards 2025 as a chance of reorientation, because it's good that I have some distance from Formula 1.

Nonetheless, he continued: Everyone who drives in Formula 1 has talent, there's no question about it. But when I look at the grid, I have no doubt that I could keep up. I'm no worse than them.

Schumacher concluded by insisting he was wrongly labelled as a crash-prone driver during his two years with Haas.

(GMM)