Schumacher learned of Doohan securing Alpine seat via social media

Ralf Schumacher has revealed that nephew Mick learned that Jack Doohan had secured the Alpine seat for 2025 when the team announced it on social media.

The son of all-time F1 great Michael Schumacher had been in the running to partner Pierre Gasly at Team Enstone next season, but ultimately fell short, losing out to his long-time family.

Schumacher drove in F1 for Haas in 2021 and 2022, but was replaced by fellow countryman Nico Hulkenberg after failing to make the grade at the American team

He has since spend time as Mercedes reserve driver and as part of Alpine's WEC programme, which he hoped to translate into an F1 drive.

The French squad ultimately opted for its own reserve and junior driver, but it was the way in which Schumacher found out that incensed his uncle.

"That's absolutely not the way!," Ralf proclaimed on Sky Sports Germany after Mick learned his fate through Instagram.

"You can just say that the team has completely lost its way at the moment anyway," the six-time grand prix winner added. "People are being thrown out, thrown back in and so on. Flavio [Briatore] is kind of floating above it."

Alpine did not take Schumacher vs Doohan test 'seriously'

The 49-year-old went on to address the so-called shoot-out between Schumacher and Doohan in a previous year Alpine, branding the test unfair and casting doubt over how seriously the team took it.

"He [Mick] drove in the afternoon and Jack Doohan in the morning. 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," Ralf explained.

"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."

Mick, meanwhile, is still focusing on the opportunities that do remain in F1, with Stake, RB and Mercedes still yet to confirm second drivers for next season.

The 25-year-old highlighted two seats. Mercedes is expected to announce Andrea Kimi Antonelli next weekend, so it is unclear if he was referring to his current employer or RB - a team that already has deep ranks.

Stake could be a potential landing spot for Schumacher as the team readies itself for its transition to German marque Audi at the end of 2025. However, he has not been closely linked to the seat of late.

"In the end, for my part, I am not giving up," Schumacher said, also in Sky Sports Germany.

"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."

With Logan Sargeant coming under increasing pressure, there remains the possibility that the American driver does not see out his final season with Williams, and there have been reports that Schumacher could be brought in to replace him - potentially as early as the Italian Grand Prix next weekend, which Toto Wolff has now endorsed.