From a sporting point of view, Mick Schumacher actually only has one goal: to drive again as a regular driver in Formula 1. But although Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff praised the young German everywhere until the end, the situation of the current reserve driver did not improve. Now suddenly Wolff also chooses words that should sound bitter for Schumacher.
In Formula 1 things have been going on in quick succession in the past few days. Haas extended with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg, Mercedes announced the long-awaited extension with record world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, and the other teams are also expected to be completed soon.
Three, maximum four places are still open in the premier class of motorsport – more or less. At the moment, however, there is little to suggest that Mick Schumacher could get hold of one of these cockpits for the 2024 Formula 1 season.
“It’s tough. All the doors just kind of fall shut,” explained Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff to “Sky” with a view to Mick Schumacher’s situation. Wolff has been the patron saint of Germans since Schumacher left Haas and his subsequent engagement as a simulator and reserve driver for the Silver Arrows at the beginning of the year.
The fact that there is simply no cockpit available for the 24-year-old is “a shame,” Wolff continued, “because Mick deserves to drive in Formula 1.”
Formula 1: “Unfavorable time” for Schumacher?
However, there are hardly any realistic chances for Schumacher to sign up with one of the three teams that have not yet made a final decision. Specifically, these are Alfa Romeo, where Guanyu Zhou has not yet signed a new contract. If the Chinese has to go, Théo Pourchaire is already a replacement in the starting blocks.
The German will not be accommodated at AlphaTauri either. There are theoretically even two places free – as of now. But the extension of the greatly improved Yuki Tsunoda should only be a matter of form, the second cockpit will go to Daniel Ricciardo or his current representative Liam Lawson. Schumacher is not in demand in the Red Bull cosmos anyway, as adviser Helmut Marko has repeatedly emphasized.
In the end, only Williams remains: But the place next to high-flyer Alex Albon probably still belongs to Logan Sargeant, provided he doesn’t make any more serious mistakes by the end of the season. Team boss James Vowles recently emphasized that. In short: not a good perspective for Schumacher.
“Perhaps the timing is simply unfavorable because there aren’t any major changes in the field,” said Wolff. With these bitter words, the Mercedes team boss should be more than right.