Plain text from team owner Gene Haas: If Mick Schumacher wants to drive for the US racing team in the coming Formula 1 season, he has to deliver in the last four races – and countable!
“Mick’s future will only be decided by Mick,” said team owner Gene Haas on Sunday at the sidelines of the NASCAR race in Las Vegas that Schumacher still has his future with the US team in his own hands.
However, Haas followed immediately with the big but: “We’re waiting now. We need points from Mick and try to give him as long as possible to see what he can do. If he wants to stay with us, he has to show that he can score points. And we’re waiting for that!”
Translated this means: If Mick Schumacher still wants to drive for Team Haas in the 2023 season, he has to finish in the top 10 at least once in the last four races of the season. He had already managed to do that at Silverstone and Spielberg in the course of the season so far. Most recently, however, the 23-year-old missed out on points in seven races in a row.
“I think Mick has a lot of potential,” said Haas, but also referred to some of Schumacher’s accidents that cost his team a lot of money. Most recently in Japan, the son of record world champion Michael Schumacher made a driving mistake and ended up in the limit. The faux pas alone should have cost Haas half a million euros. That’s money “that we simply don’t have,” emphasized Haas.
The owner also openly admitted that his racing team had already spoken to other drivers, but did not name any names. The team owner left it open when exactly a decision was made. “If he wins the next race, he’s in,” joked the American.
Schumacher or Hulkenberg?
Schumacher’s contract with Haas expires at the end of the season. Team boss Günther Steiner had repeatedly left the future of the German open in the past few weeks and at the same time demanded more consistency from him. Steiner also confirmed that the team is working with other drivers.
According to consistent reports, one of these drivers is Nico Hulkenberg. Alongside Schumacher, the man from Emmerich is considered the hottest contender for the Haas cockpit in the 2023 season. “Hulk” is currently working as a reserve driver for Aston Martin and stood in for Sebastian Vettel in two races at the beginning of the season.
Other pilots such as Antonio Giovinazzi or Daniel Ricciardo were also traded as candidates at Haas, but they are only given outsider chances. The second cockpit at the US racing team will also be occupied by Kevin Magnussen in the 2023 Formula 1 season.