Mick Schumacher To Continue As Reserve Driver For Mercedes F1 In 2024, Joins Alpine For WEC

German racing driver Mick Schumacher is set for double duties in 2024 with the 24-year-old signed by Mercedes and Alpine in different roles. Schumacher Junior will continue in the role of a reserve driver for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team for the second consecutive year. Meanwhile, the racer has also been signed on by French manufacturer Alpine for the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in the upcoming season. Mick Schumacher is the son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher. 

Mick Schumacher will be one of the six drivers signed by Alpine who will be driving the manufacturer’s A424 Hypercars in the championship. The former Haas F1 team driver was first tested with Alpine in October last year as he drove an endurance prototype for the first time. Schumacher has since worked with Alpine to learn the endurance machine, following which the driver and team decided to collaborate for the upcoming season of endurance racing. 

Speaking about joining WEC with Alpine, Mick Schumacher said, “A new chapter is beginning for me with Alpine in the FIA WEC Hypercar category. The car is impressive, and I can't wait to get started. I've grown up with single-seaters, so driving a car with a closed cockpit and covered wheels is a great opportunity to hone my driving skills. I sorely missed racing this year; it's what I've loved to do since I was a kid, and it was sometimes difficult to watch the other drivers take to the track. Endurance racing is a new challenge for me, and I'm sure we will share great moments together next year with Alpine." 

Schumacher last raced in F1 with Haas in 2022. Mercedes F1 signed the driver in a reserve role in 2023, which has kept the driver from active racing albeit while keeping him in F1. Nevertheless, WEC offers a different platform for the young racer to showcase his skills. He will continue his role with Mercedes as well in 2024, helping the team in simulation and development roles. 

Joining Mick Schumacher at Alpine will be Nicolas Lapierre, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Charles Milesi, and Paul-Loup Chatin as part of the six-drive ensemble. The 2024 season of WEC will have eight races next year with the highlight being the coveted Le Mans slated to take place in June. Alpine is set to unveil the A424 hypercar on February 24, 2024, while the 2024 WEC season will kick off in Doha, Qatar on March 2.