Explained: Mick Schumacher can drive for McLaren this year
The arrangement is part of McLaren’s deal with engine supplier Mercedes.
Schumacher was dumped from the F1 2023 driver line-up by Haas but was signed up as Mercedes’ third driver, and can now fulfil the third driver role for McLaren too.
McLaren have used Mercedes' third drivers in previous seasons, too, as part of their relationship.
Schumacher is the back-up to Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell this year, and is now in reserve to McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
McLaren's new team principal, Andrea Stella, was formerly an engineer for Mick's legendary father Michael Schumacher.
An arrangement to be a reserve driver at two different teams worked out very nicely last season for Nyck de Vries, who performed the role simultaneously for Mercedes and Williams.
De Vries' outstanding performance at the 2022 F1 Italian Grand Prix opened the door for him to seal a full-time drive with AlphaTauri this year.
Schumacher will be hoping that the link-up with McLaren increases his visibility and opens more doors to a full-time return to the F1 grid in 2024.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
