Mercedes announce SHOCK driver exit in official team statement

Mercedes have confirmed the shock departure of one of their drivers ahead of this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix.

The Formula 1 season heads to Qatar for the penultimate race of the season this weekend, with plenty of things to keep an eye on despite Max Verstappen having wrapped up the 2024 drivers' championship.

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One of those is undoubtedly how Lewis Hamilton gets on once again as his Mercedes career draws to a close.

Hamilton put in a fantastic performance at the Las Vegas Grand Prix and now has just two races — three if you include Saturday's Qatar GP sprint — remaining with the team ahead of his switch to Ferrari in 2025.

Mercedes announce Mick Schumacher exit

In surprising news, an official team statement has now confirmed that Hamilton will not be the only Mercedes driver to leave the team at the end of 2024.

After two years in a reserve driver role, Mick Schumacher — son of F1 icon Michael — will now be exiting Mercedes at the end of the season, the team have revealed.

Interestingly, the statement appears to suggest it was Schumacher's decision to end the partnership, and not the other way around.

"The Team can confirm that Reserve Driver Mick Schumacher has chosen to leave his role at the conclusion of the 2024 season," Mercedes' statement opened.

Speaking as part of the team statement, Mercedes chief Toto Wolff thanked Schumacher, praising his work over the last two years as vital: "Mick’s hard work, diligence, and determination in his role as Reserve Driver has been vital for the team over the past two years,"

"From his work in the simulator, testing of various cars, and being part of the trackside team, we couldn’t have asked for any more from him. From day one, he fitted into the team with ease and has become an incredibly well-liked colleague for everyone at Brackley and Brixworth.

“However, Mick is first and foremost a racing driver. We have seen from both his time in F1, and this year with his performances in the World Endurance Championship, that he is a racer of an incredibly high calibre and one that deserves to be competing in the very best championships.

"As he moves on to his next challenge, I would like to thank Mick personally for his contribution to our team and we all wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”

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