Mick Schumacher has stayed with Mercedes for the 2023 season, however, with no chance of getting a kickstart to his career, the driver gave a test drive to Alpine’s World Endurance Championship car, the A470. Although he has had no luck in Formula 1 when it comes to winning or getting on the podium, Schumacher has now had another dream to chase.
The German driver’s wish has always been to follow in his father’s footsteps but with Verstappen dominating and having no seat in F1, it seems he is ready to take his dreams elsewhere. Although he has not managed to win a championship in F1, there is hope to see him get to the end of the Le Mans World Endurance Championship in a two-time winning car.
All about the 3-time Championship-winning Alpine A470
While Mick Schumacher let the end to his dream in F1 come to an end sooner than he expected, the driver now has a new path to follow. After testing the Alpine A470 for the Endurance Championship, the German passed by joining the team and starting his journey in the World Endurance Championship.
Schumacher has had his father, Michael Schumacher, set a great example in the world of motorsports with many looking up to him as an idol. Although he wished to see Mick challenging and battling against all for a championship, the driver will now be driving for one with Alpine.
Let’s go racing together! Excited to be part of the new Hypercar chapter in Alpine’s endurance racing history 💪@signatechAlpine @FIAWEC pic.twitter.com/SNuYbQyHkq
— Mick Schumacher (@SchumacherMick) November 22, 2023
Schumacher’s Alpine A470 drives on the incredible V8 challenger which easily generates 520 Hp and weighs anywhere near 2094 lbs. Its GK-428 Gibson GL-428 engine and its 1.1 gallons (4.2 liters) cylinder capacity render a maximum speed of 9000 RPM.
The A470 has a carbon fiber and honeycomb body shell structure with a carbon/kevlar bodywork and a double wishbone suspension with pushrods and PKM shock absorbers. It also has the transversally-mounted Xtrac gearbox with magnesium housing that provides a gear shift consisting of steering-wheel-mounted paddles and pneumatic controls.
Mick Schumacher talks about racing in the World Endurance Championship
Although his wish to sit in a W15 or fight with the big leagues on the F1 tracks did not go as planned, he has set himself up for yet another challenge as he joins the rugged world of the Endurance Championship. Not too long ago the German gave a test drive in the Alpine A470 and is now confirmed to be one of the drivers for Alpine.
The team confessed to looking for a few more drivers with the experience to have on board, soon Mick joined the team and succeeded in showing his capabilities. The driver talked about how he felt about starting his new journey. He said,
Happy and grateful to be a reserve driver for @MercedesAMGF1 next year. It’s good to stay connected with this great team in @F1 pic.twitter.com/yHsDQ0Yn1U
— Mick Schumacher (@SchumacherMick) November 22, 2023
“I sorely missed racing this year. It’s what I’ve loved to do since I was a kid. A new chapter is beginning for me with Alpine. It was sometimes difficult to watch the other drivers take to the track. 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.”
Meanwhile, the driver will still hold the spot of the reserve driver in F1 for Mercedes AMG Petronas and will be a backup for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. However, he has also decided to pursue other racing championships while he waits for his chance to succeed as a champion in F1 like his father, Michael Schumacher.
