Mick Schumacher closing in on fairytale F1 return that could hurt Toto Wolff ally

Mick Schumacher has confirmed that talks between himself and Cadillac representatives are progressing well, describing his current situation as a 'great position'. A move to F1's 11th team could come at the expense of Valtteri Bottas, though, with the Mercedes third driver also angling for a return to the grid. Both Schumacher and Bottas have enjoyed the backing of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

The former was handed a reserve driver role after he was dropped by Haas at the end of 2022, while the experienced Finn succeeded the son of seven-time world champion Michael, when he departed Sauber. Wolff played an active role in promoting Schumacher to interested parties in 2023 and 2024 to no avail, but the 25-year-old, who has since established himself as an up-and-coming prodigy in the World Endurance Championship, may have discovered a route back onto the grid.

"Yes, obviously the conversations are ongoing," he told Motorsport Brazil. "Communication has been very positive. It's a great project, they've already hired a fantastic number of people for it, it's an incredible project, a great story. So, it's something I feel honoured to be a part of, negotiating, and it's a great position to be in."

The talks with Schumacher were confirmed by Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon. "Yes, we're talking to Mick," he revealed in an appearance on the High Performance podcast. "Of course, he can prove what he can do, but this isn't the right place to show the world something, or whatever.

"The driver is there to do his best for his team, and he should also be motivated for the team that works with him. That's why I'm not very enthusiastic about people who want to somehow prove something personal."

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Alongside Schumacher, Cadillac have been heavily linked with Sergio Perez, whose contract with Red Bull was terminated prematurely in December following a miserable 2024 campaign in Max Verstappen's shadow. According to reports, an agreement with the Mexican racer is growing closer.

This leaves Bottas in a difficult position. The 10-time Grand Prix winner appears to be in a direct battle with Schumacher for the seat alongside Perez, and if he misses out on an F1 return in 2026, the 35-year-old will likely turn to IndyCar or the World Endurance Championship to see out the twilight years of his motorsport career.

However, he does have one other alternative. Alpine may present Bottas with an opportunity to showcase his talent with a mid-season driver change. Franco Colapinto's future is up in the air following a difficult start to life in Enstone, and Flavio Briatore's interest in the Finn's services is public knowledge.