AlphaTauri’s Franz Tost discusses interest in signing Schumacher: “I would actually have liked to have Mick in the car”

Scuderia AlphaTauri Team Principal Franz Tost spoke out on his interest to bring Mick Schumacher on board after his departure from Haas F1 Team, and his confidence that the German driver has the potential return to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship grid in the future.

Tost shared that he thinks “very highly” of Schumacher, and was personally intrigued by the idea of signing him on for a full-time seat. 

“He was an issue [of conversation] for me, personally. I would actually have liked to have Mick in the car,” Tost told German news outlet RTL, “Mick is talented” and “he also has what it takes to drive successfully in Formula 1.”

Ultimately, this move never came to fruition, with Tost citing “political reasons” as a main obstacle for negotiation, due to Schumacher’s association with the Ferrari Driver Academy. 

Instead, the decision was made to sign Mercedes Test and Reserve Driver and 2021 Formula E Champion Nyck de Vries, who impressed the paddock in 2022 with a points-scoring F1 debut after subbing in for an ill Alexander Albon at the Italian Grand Prix. 

Schumacher has since joined Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team in a reserve role, which Tost believes will be a good fit for him, being a “very, very good team, one of the best in Formula 1” which will allow him to “learn a great deal.”

Tost hopes to see Schumacher participate in Friday practices with Mercedes in 2023 in order to foster his “self-confidence and technical understanding and hopefully bring him back to the starting grid at some point.”

Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool