Alpha Tauri wanted Mick Schumacher to replace Pierre Gasly, reveals Franz Tost

Mick Schumacher could have had a seat after all this season, with Alpha Tauri interested in taking on the former Haas driver – who he believes is far better than current perceptions suggest.

Schumacher left American side Haas at the end of the 2022 season after his contract was not renewed following a string of disappointing results, scoring points just twice throughout the year in Formula One.

He was replaced by Nico Hulkenberg for 2023, with the German partnering former rival Kevin Magnussen, with the former bringing in six points and the latter just two for Haas.

The German ultimately ended up being snapped up by Mercedes as a back-up to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, but Franz Tost has admitted that he was keen on bringing the 24-year-old to his Alpha Tauri set-up.

Tost also suggested that Schumacher – son of all-time great and seven-time world champion Michael – is capable of much better than he has previously shown in Formula One. 

Franz Tost admitted that he was keen to take Mick Schumacher on at Alpha Tauri after Pierre Gasly’s departure

Schumacher was ultimately taken on as a Mercedes back-up after he was released by Haas

Instead Alpha Tauri went with Nyck de Vries, who has struggled to make the step up this year

‘Initially, it was clear to me that our driver line-up would be Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda,’ he told Formel1.de.

‘Then suddenly Pierre was assigned to Alpine, and that left a spot open for us. Until Monza, it was completely uncertain who our driver would be. And naturally I thought of Mick Schumacher

‘Mick Schumacher didn’t secure a cockpit for this year. For us, it was then open after the Pierre Gasly situation came to light. He is significantly better than he is currently perceived in the outside world. 

‘It was rejected though. We now have Nyck de Vries and there’s really nothing more to discuss.’ 

With Pierre Gasly heading to Alpine to join Esteban Ocon in an all-French line-up for the country’s best-known manufacturer, Alpha Tauri ultimately ended up signing Nyck de Vries. 

De Vries came into Formula One with plenty of promise, having won the Formula E championship two season before and finishing ninth the following year, but has struggled to make the step up at Alpha Tauri. 

In seven races so far for the 2023 season, the Dutchman has managed just five finishes. 

He is yet to score a point, either, with his highest finish 12th place, coming at Monaco two weeks ago, although he did manage a ninth-place finish in 2022 at the Italian GP for Williams, picking up two points. 

Schumacher scored points just twice over the course of the 2022 season before leaving Haas