Experienced F1 driver drops big hints at Alpine exit

Alpine racing star Mick Schumacher may well be heading away from the team, following an IndyCar test for the ex-F1 racer.

Schumacher has been racing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with Alpine since 2024, and has managed to claim three podiums in the series since then.

The young German previously raced in F1 in 2021 and 2022 before being axed by Haas and joining Mercedes, where he was the team's reserve driver in both 2023 and 2024.

However, his chances of returning to F1 now look slim, particularly after being snubbed for a seat on the grid with the new Cadillac outfit, who are joining the grid in 2026 and have hired the services of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

And Alpine now look like they could be set to lose the 26-year-old, who has been warned by Bottas not to head off to IndyCar as it may cause F1 teams to forget about his talents.

Schumacher has recently conducted an IndyCar test with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and seems to be ignoring Bottas' advice, describing his love for the series and the potential to be racing in IndyCar full-time in the future.

"Everything is open for 2026," Schumacher told a press conference following his test. "I have various options, IndyCar is one of them.

"I can't yet say exactly what the chances are that I'll be racing here. I have to process the impressions and see what I really want.

"It was good to get to know the car and the team. I'm very happy and glad to be here. The most important thing for me is to continue to have fun with everything.

"Single-seaters attract me.," Schumacher continued. "I just love seeing my wheels. My father always said: The Schumachers are faster when they see their wheels."

Mick Schumacher's F1 career

Schumacher is the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, and raced in the sport himself in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

The young German drove with Haas in those two years, but was unexpectedly axed at the end of the 2022 season after a number of costly crashes, with then-team principal Guenther Steiner opting for a more experienced driver lineup for 2023.

Schumacher had won the 2020 F2 championship and there was a lot of hope surrounding his future career in F1, but now he is excelling in other racing series instead.

Alpine's Endurance Team is going from strength-to-strength in the WEC, and last month secured its maiden victory with the A424 at the Fuji Motor Speedway.

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