Ralf Schumacher has claimed that nephew Mick was hampered in the shootout that resulted in Alpine choosing Jack Doohan to complete its 2025 Formula 1 line-up.
Alpine announced before the Dutch Grand Prix last weekend that reserve driver Doohan will step up to a race drive next season to replace the outgoing Esteban Ocon.
Doohan was considered the leading option to partner incumbent Pierre Gasly since Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz turned down Alpine’s advances to agree a move to Williams.
However, Schumacher was believed to also have been in the running owing to his ties to Alpine through his involvement with its World Endurance Championship side.
The German, who is also Mercedes’ reserve option, hasn’t competed in F1 since Haas elected not to extend his two-season spell with the team come the end of 2022.
Both Doohan and Schumacher were touted to have participated in a recent test to compare the pair’s credentials, which resulted in the Australian being given the nod.
But Schumacher’s uncle has cast doubt on whether Alpine even intended to consider the shootout, as he revealed that Doohan was given more favourable conditions.
“He [Mick] drove in the afternoon and Jack Doohan in the morning,” Schumacher told Sky Sports Germany.
“I’ve been there myself. If you drove at 09:00, you were two and a half seconds faster because it was 38 degrees in the afternoon and there was wind.
“If you approach a test like that, you have to doubt that they took it seriously. I think it’s a shame because it’s just not fair and because nobody else gets the chance.”
Meanwhile, Schumacher also slammed the Enstone-based squad’s management over the choice to not tell Mick that he wouldn’t be driving in F1 with Alpine in 2025.
“That’s absolutely not the way!” Schumacher expressed in regard to Mick discovering the news through social media.
“You can just say that the team has completely lost its way at the moment anyway.
“People are being thrown out, thrown back in and so on. Flavio [Briatore, Alpine Executive Advisor] is kind of floating above it.”
Schumacher has not relinquished hope that he could land a place on the 2025 grid, though, with Sauber as it prepares to evolve into Audi still boasting a vacant drive.
“In the end, for my part, I am not giving up,” Schumacher insisted.
“There are still two seats open and so we have to keep working and pushing.
“Hopefully with a good result at the end of the year. You’ve already been able to see what I can do. Internally, the teams know that too.”
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