Mick Schumacher’s next move could thread a neat line between endurance racing and a way back into Formula 1.
The Alpine WEC driver is being linked with a switch to the Cadillac-affiliated Jota squad for 2026, a seat expected to open when Jenson Button steps away at the end of this season. Multiple reports suggest Schumacher tops Jota’s shortlist to join Earl Bamber and Sébastien Bourdais, with the team weighing both performance and profile. In truth, he brings plenty of both.
Button’s exit has been on the cards for weeks. The 2009 F1 champion has juggled TV commitments with Sky Sports F1 and ambassador duties at Williams, and Auto Motor und Sport recently pegged him a couple of tenths shy of his teammates on average. He’s set to continue racing in 2026, just not across a full WEC campaign.
Schumacher, 26, has rebuilt smartly since leaving the F1 grid with Haas at the end of 2022. After two years as Mercedes reserve, he committed to a full-time Alpine WEC program for 2025 and has already banked podiums at Imola and Spa in the A424. He also added veteran German racer Dirk Müller to his management roster earlier this year, a move that hasn’t hurt his visibility.
The Jota opportunity is attractive for obvious reasons. The team’s Cadillac ties create a direct path into the American manufacturer’s incoming F1 effort for 2026. Graeme Lowdon, Cadillac F1’s team principal, confirmed in June that conversations with Schumacher have taken place about a role next year. While he’s not currently seen as a race-seat candidate, a reserve role looks logical if he joins Jota; it would keep him embedded in the paddock while logging serious mileage in WEC’s hypercar class.
There’s competition for the seat, but the marketing pull around Schumacher—son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael—could tip the scales. Jack Aitken is understood to be in the frame, though his IMSA commitments may complicate a full WEC tilt.
On the Cadillac F1 driver front, PlanetF1 has reported that Sergio Pérez has reached an agreement to lead the 2026 lineup, with a formal announcement expected around Monza. The second seat remains open, with Valtteri Bottas widely linked and names like Felipe Drugovich, Alex Dunne and Jak Crawford also circulating. If that falls into place as expected, a Schumacher reserve deal would be tidy business: continuity for Cadillac across programs and a live F1 ember for Mick.
Schumacher hasn’t hidden his intent. He made 43 grand prix starts with Haas across 2021–22, scoring 12 points—highlighted by back-to-back results in Britain (P8) and Austria (P6) in July 2022. A Jota–Cadillac package would be his most coherent route back yet: competitive seats, manufacturer backing, and a clear line of sight to a Formula 1 garage door.
