Briatore eliminates Mick as the search for an Alpine seat becomes more limited.

      "I remain open to the second cockpit."

      17 September 2025 - 10:35

      Flavio Briatore has confirmed that Mick Schumacher will not be a candidate for Alpine's final available seat on the 2026 Formula 1 grid. The situation at Red Bull and Racing Bulls appears to be settled, with Yuki Tsunoda likely to leave, Isack Hadjar promoted to partner Max Verstappen, and teenager Arvid Lindblad joining Liam Lawson at the junior team. This leaves Alpine as the only major uncertainty.

      Ralf Schumacher told T-Online that his nephew Mick’s opportunities are practically over, and Tsunoda’s F1 career may also be nearing its end. "He’s fortunate that the team has already stated they want to finish the season with him," Ralf mentioned regarding Tsunoda. "Something significant would need to change in the upcoming races for him to stay, but I fear Tsunoda will continue as he has and may not have a Formula 1 seat next year."

      Tsunoda had been associated with Alpine, but Briatore has clarified that other options are being pursued. "I'm still open to the second cockpit," the Alpine chief told Auto Motor und Sport. "Perhaps I should sign a Formula E driver? But seriously. We’re still open. The two seasoned drivers (Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez) are heading to Cadillac. Let’s see how our young drivers perform throughout the rest of the season. We have Colapinto, we have (Paul) Aron, and we will also be testing again with (Jack) Doohan."

      Briatore acknowledged that while Colapinto has been inconsistent, he is currently the frontrunner. "Doohan has had too many incidents. Colapinto started off disappointing us as we believed he would do better. Now he’s gradually finding his rhythm. He is getting to know the car better and feels more at ease," he said.

      Regarding Sergio Perez, Briatore disclosed that he was indeed an option before Cadillac intervened. "Perez reached out to me," the 75-year-old Italian revealed. "He inquired about our plans, but simultaneously mentioned that he was close to finalizing an agreement with Cadillac. At that moment, I couldn’t offer him anything," Briatore confirmed.

      When asked about Mick Schumacher, Briatore was straightforward: "He’s not on our list." Ralf Schumacher admits this is a tough assessment. "He’s been absent from Formula 1 for a few years, and you could argue that his time is running out," Ralf commented when discussing his nephew. "We must keep in mind that there are many younger drivers emerging from Formula 2, such as Alex Dunne and Arvid Lindblad, both of whom have a solid chance of reaching Formula 1 soon. It’s certainly not going to get any easier for Mick."