Alpine provide update over Mick Schumacher seat for 2024 after test session

Team Alpine boss Bruno Famin gave an indication over where Mick Schumacher’s future lies

Sonia Twigg
Tuesday 31 October 2023 10:34 GMT
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Team Alpine boss reveals update on Mick Schumacher future
Team Alpine boss reveals update on Mick Schumacher future (Getty Images)

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Team Alpine boss Bruno Famin revealed the team were “very happy” with Mick Schumacher’s performance in a recent 2024 World Endurance Championship test session.

Schumacher, son of the seven-time World Champion Michael, had two seasons with Haas on the Formula One grid, but finished in the points on just two occasions in 44 races.

He then moved to Mercedes as the team’s reserve driver but had limited opportunities and began to look outside F1 for racing options.

In October, Schumacher took part in a multi-day Test event in Spain behind the wheel of Alpine’s Hypercar, with a hope of being signed as one of the available six slots in the WEC 2024.

Ahead of the Mexico Grand Prix, Famin said Schumacher’s test was a success.

“Mick tested the car in Jerez 10 days ago or eight days ago. We were very happy with his performance, his global performance, how he was with the team and I think he was happy too,” Famin said reported by planetF1.com.

“That means that we can still discuss about trying to do something next year together. But here we are only [at this stage].”

According to Speedweek, Schumacher said: “It’s a completely different feeling.

“The car is relatively big, relatively heavy. The cockpit is completely closed, which felt a bit claustrophobic at the beginning. But I got used to it relatively quickly.

“In terms of racing, it’s a bit different because you share the car. That is exciting in a way. The car has to last 24 hours. It’s a different challenge.

“You never notice whether the tyre stops or not. You have little lights that indicate that, but nothing else. It was a bit abstract to sit in there in a completely closed cockpit and not get any wind.

“But the biggest change for me was the draught in the back. There is a cooling system that blows air in and I was not really prepared for that at the beginning.”

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