The Schumacher name in F1 is always intriguing

Could we be closing in on Mick Schumacher’s big, full-time return to F1?

We’re all sitting around twiddling our thumbs waiting for Cadillac — Formula 1’s newest team — to announce its driver lineup for its debut on the grid in 2026.

There has been all kinds of speculation and conjecture about who could end up in those seats. There was a time when the team wanted an American in the seat. There really aren’t any American drivers with the requisite F1 Super License and a lot of experience who are also better than other non-Americans on the market.

Which brings us to the fact that it increasingly looks like a three-horse race for the two seats between Ex-Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, Mercedes reserve driver Valtteri Bottas, and Alpine sportscar driver Mick Schumacher.

Mick is, of course, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, and he raced for Haas in 2021 and 2022. That run didn’t go great, but he wasn’t given a great car to drive. However, after his dismissal from Haas, Schumacher became a reserve driver for Mercedes and then joined Alpine in the World Endurance Championship.

This is to say he’s still a highly rated driver, and that’s why he’s one of the drivers that Cadillac is speaking to.

“Yes, of course, discussions are ongoing,” Schumacher told Motorsport.com. “The communication has been very positive so far.”

Interesting, indeed.

Driver Mick Schumacher says that he and Cadillac have had ‘positive’ talks as F1’s newest team closes in on its first driver lineup. (Getty Images)

Why Would Cadillac Want Schumacher Over a More Experienced Race Winner?

So, a lot of people (*raises hand*) think that the best driver lineup for Cadillac is Perez and Bottas. That’s because having two race-winning veterans will help them develop their car, especially early on when all teams are struggling to pin down the 2026 regulation changes.

To that point, why would Cadillac be interested in Schumacher, who only scored points twice in his two years on the grid?

Well, like I said, he’s still a highly-rated driver and former F2 champion, whose first season at Haas was written off by the team as they focused all resources on their 2022 car due to a big regulations overhaul. That meant that their 2021 car was bad, and their 2022, while more competitive than its predecessor, was not stellar.

Schumacher also comes in with more experience than he had as an F1 rookie.

Of course, this is a business, and Schumacher brings with him a very marketable surname, and perhaps he can bring a lot of financial backing to the table.

So, while I still believe the Perez-Bottas tandem is the right move to get the US-based team up and running, maybe they will go with Schumacher instead.