Formula 1 reserve driver Mick Schumacher has presented his new racing car and is looking forward to his first season in the World Endurance Championship.
“We’re all ready to get started. The fire in me has been lit,” said Schumacher at the presentation of the A424 hypercar on Wednesday: “I’m happy to be here and I think the feeling is mutual. The decision was pretty clear , that’s the closest thing to Formula 1.”
A new chapter begins for the son of Formula 1 record world champion Michael Schumacher. The differences to Formula 1 are big, “we’re trying to get over the line 24 hours later,” said Schumacher, who shares the car with the French Nicolas Lapierre and Matthieu Vaxiviere.
WEC instead of Formula 1 for Mick Schumacher
The start of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) will take place on March 2nd in Qatar. The highlight of the year is the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 15th to 16th). In the WEC, Schumacher will follow in the footsteps of his famous father, who competed in four endurance races in 1991.
“2024 will be a season of learning,” said Alpine team boss Bruno Famin: “We have to make sure that the car is reliable and continue to work on performance. We think step by step and remain humble. Nevertheless, we are ambitious.”
At the end of 2022, Schumacher was sorted out of the Formula 1 team Haas after two mixed years. Last year he was a reserve and test driver for the top Formula 1 team Mercedes, and he will continue in this role in 2024.