Mick Schumacher not being given an opportunity by Toto Wolff would be a “challenge” for the German, says AlphaTauri CEO

AlphaTauri's CEO Peter Bayer recently talked about Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher and his chances of returning to the F1 grid. The young German had a horrendous stint with the Haas F1 team, where he was unable to shine and make his mark on the sport. Hence, he was removed from the team after the 2022 F1 season.

Bayer stated that Mick Schumacher's biggest challenge is that he needs to prove himself by showing his pace. He also explained how difficult it will be for Michael Schumacher's son to prove himself if Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff does not give him an opportunity.

"That’s where his challenge lies. How can he prove he is fast? If Toto doesn’t put him in the car once, it will be difficult for Mick," Bayer told GPBlog.

Apart from pointing out how Mick Schumacher needs to prove himself, AlphaTauri's CEO also stated that Daniel Ricciardo would not have been in his team had he not performed well in Silverstone tests.

"If Daniel had not driven such [good] times at Silverstone, he would not be in the car with us now," he added.

The statement about Daniel Ricciardo, which was tied with Mick Schumacher, hints that the young German had a small chance of returning to the grid with AlphaTauri. Of course, now his options are even fewer.

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F1 Pundit feels Mick Schumacher is the top contender to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams

F1 pundit and presenter Lawrence Barretto feels Mick Schumacher could potentially replace rookie Logan Sargeant at Williams.

He wrote in an exclusive piece on F1.com:

“Rookie Logan Sargeant has had a solid but unspectacular start to life in Formula 1, and knows he needs to up his game to stick around for another season. If he doesn’t, his seat is under threat."

Barretto further wrote how Mick Schumacher has earned praise from Mercedes drivers and the team boss for his great behind-the-scenes work on the simulator. This could further increase his chances of returning to Formula 1.

"Mick Schumacher would be an obvious contender, having briefly had talks with the team last year and having kept his hand in through his Mercedes reserve role, where he has earned public praise for his efforts from [Lewis] Hamilton and [George] Russell,” he added.

Despite being a rookie, Sargeant has not been able to deliver decent results for Williams. Although he will most likely stay on with the team this season, his seat could be under threat soon.