Alpine says it is doing all it can to retain Mick Schumacher as a part of its Hypercar line-up in the World Endurance Championship next year.
Schumacher joined Alpine at the start of its new LMDh programme this year to race the #36 Alpine A424 LMDh alongside Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxiviere in the WEC, having spent the 2023 season on the sidelines after being ousted by Haas in Formula 1.
But the German driver still harbours aspirations of racing in F1 and has made it clear on multiple occasions that his priority for 2025 is to be back on the grand prix grid.
In response to speculation about his future, Philippe Sinault, team principal of Signatech Alpine, says the French marque is in active dialogue with the 25-year-old to convince him to stay at the squad for a second term.
Asked how confident he was about retaining Schumacher next year, he told Motorsport.com: “It’s difficult to say. I hope [he stays].
“We push and we say to him immediately that for us it’s a really really key point that he must stay with us.
“But nothing [is] in my hand. Formula 1 is still Formula 1. We have to wait again. I hope in the short term we have some news about that.”
#36 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Nicolas Lapierre, Mick Schumacher, Matthieu Vaxiviere, #12 Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963: Will Stevens, Callum Ilott, Norman Nato
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Alpine itself considered Schumacher for a seat at its F1 team next year as it debated a replacement for Haas-bound Esteban Ocon, but eventually chose its junior driver Jack Doohan to partner Pierre Gasly.
Alpine motorsport boss Bruno Famin, who has a management role at both its F1 and WEC programmes, said he was impressed by Schumacher’s performance this year and is hoping he will continue with the squad in 2025.
“I’m very happy with Mick. He has done a very good job,” Famin told Motorsport.com.
“His adaptation to endurance has been incredible, very fast, very good, everybody knows that for a single-seater driver it’s not easy.
“And especially for him at the beginning of the year he was really focused on how to get a seat in Formula 1 and he is still on that.
“But if you put that aside, he is really focused on the programme. We saw again in Austin how fast he was during the race.
“I’m very happy with Mick, if we have the opportunity to continue together we are really happy.”
#36 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Mick Schumacher, Matthieu Vaxiviere
Photo by: Andreas Beil
Schumacher’s chances of making an F1 comeback in the short-term appear to be slim, with only Sauber having a vacant seat for 2025.
Asked what Alpine can do to retain Schumacher’s services next year, Famin said: “To be better.
“It’s not only what the team can do, it’s [about his personal choice].
“We all know that Mick’s number one priority would be if he had the possibility [to return to F1], but we know that there is only one [seat] left to have the opportunity to go back to Formula 1.
“Let’s see what we do, what will be the final decision. From our side we will be happy [if he stays].”
Both Famin and Sinault stated that they hope Schumacher will extend his relationship with Alpine if he is unable to find a way to return to F1 next year.
Sinault also added: “I think we did a good job together. I’m so happy about his level of performance, his pace, his commitment, I think he is quite happy about the job also.
“If he is not in F1, we are closer to continue to work together.”
Schumacher: Japan podium doesn’t change anything
Schumacher, Lapierre and Vaxiviere finished third in this month’s penultimate round of the season at Fuji, securing the first podium finish for the Alpine A424.
The result also marked Schumacher’s first visit to the rostrum in any category since his title-winning campaign in Formula 2 in 2020, having never finished higher than sixth in his two years in F1.
But the 25-year-old says Alpine’s breakthrough result in Japan will not have any bearing on where he races in 2025.
“Right now we’re just happy with the podium,” he said. “Whatever happens for the future, will be decided at some point still this year, hopefully.
“As soon as I know what I will be doing, I will for sure put a press release out there and let you all know.
“But definitely the hope is for Formula 1, because that is what I dreamt of since I was a little boy. But it definitely feels great to be in WEC.”