Formula 2: When will Mick Schumacher be promoted to Formula 1?

When will rookie Formula 2 driver and son of seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher Mick Schumacher be promoted to Formula 1?

There were high hopes for Ferrari junior driver Mick Schumacher, the son of record-breaking 91-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner and seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher, ahead of his rookie Formula 2 season this year.

After finishing in 12th place in the Formula 3 European Championship driver standings in the 2017 season, the 20-year-old German went on to win the title in come-from-behind fashion in the 2018 season after securing all eight of his victories throughout the 30-race season in the season’s final 16 races — in fact, during a 12-race span, including five in a row.

There were rumors that Schumacher could end up driving for Alfa Romeo Racing in the 2020 Formula 1 season and then put himself in position to replace Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari ahead of the 2021 season when the 32-year-old German’s contract expires.

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But Schumacher’s first Formula 2 season has left quite a bit to be desired, although his struggles weren’t completely unexpected given how his rookie Formula 3 European Championship season panned out. Let’s also not forget that while he didn’t win a race in 2017, he did secure his first career Formula 2 victory at the Hungaroring earlier this year.

With four races remaining, two feature races and two sprint races, in the 22-race 2019 season, which was shortened from 24 races due to the tragic death of Anthoine Hubert that caused the two races at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps to be canceled, Schumacher sits in 11th place in the driver standings.

To earn enough points on his superlicense to be eligible to compete in Formula 1 next year, Schumacher needs to finish in the top six in the driver standings.

It’s mathematically possible, but to put it bluntly, it’s not going to happen.

So when will Schumacher end up in Formula 1?

If his sophomore season in Formula 2 resembles his sophomore season in Formula 3, he shouldn’t have a problem making himself eligible for the 2021 Formula 1 season next year.

And more than likely, he would end up at Alfa Romeo Racing, given the Swiss team’s ties to Ferrari. Kimi Raikkonen’s contract expires at the end of the 2020 season, and the team’s second seat isn’t even shored up for next year at this point.

It’s hard to see a seat not being open for him at the Ferrari-affiliated team, especially since Ferrari have a say as it pertains to half of the team’s driver lineup.

This could potentially put Schumacher in position to make a move to Ferrari as early as 2022 if he impresses in his rookie season, although that may depend on what the Prancing Horse decide as it pertains to Vettel’s future beyond the conclusion of the 2020 season.

If they replace Vettel with somebody else ahead of the 2021 season, that may make it more challenging to enter Schumacher into the picture depending on how that replacement performs.

When will Mick Schumacher make his Formula 1 debut? Will he be promoted from Formula 2 after the 2020 season? If so, where will he end up driving in Formula 1 in 2021? Will he compete for Alfa Romeo Racing, where he had been rumored to drive next year had he been eligible for a promotion to Formula 1? Will he eventually end up at Ferrari, where his father won 72 races and five championships?