The fact that Haas did not extend Mick Schumacher’s contract after two years in Formula 1 and instead brought Nico Hülkenberg out of “retirement” to sign him for the 2023 season met with some criticism at the end of 2022.
In the Formula 1 talk with ‘auto motor und sport’, Haas team boss Günther Steiner explains in detail how this decision came about – and Schumacher’s performance on the track was not the decisive argument.
Because when asked whether the German hadn’t improved enough over the course of the two years, Steiner said: “Better or worse doesn’t really matter much here.”
“What we wanted to achieve is to improve the team. I think we still have potential to improve as a team. And what’s the best way to develop a team? With drivers you know what they can do and that move the team forward.”
“Unfortunately, Mick is only in his second season,” emphasizes Steiner. “And there are people who were there before, they’ve spent seven, eight, ten years in Formula 1 and they just know more. They can take the team further and that’s why we decided to do it,” he said .
It wasn’t about Schumacher being too bad. “He has improved a lot this year,” says the Haas team boss. “Some moments were very good, I have to say. We were all positively surprised by what he brought.”
The experience factor was crucial
“But in the overall package, just to take the team further so that we can continue what we did in 2018, we decided to bring in an experienced driver again – like we had when we got into Formula 1. We had Romain and Esteban the first year.”
Back then, in 2016, Romain Grosjean had already completed four full Formula 1 seasons, Esteban Gutierrez two. “Esteban wasn’t bad,” Steiner looks back, “we just said we needed someone with a bit more experience.”
“And we now have even more experience with the second (driver; editor’s note). Kevin (Magnussen) has been in Formula 1 for seven years now, and with Nico, he’s been in Formula 1 for a long time always been in a position where we wanted to be. He got the teams there.”
Steiner now also hopes for Haas: “There’s a reason why we take Nico. It’s not because we love him. There’s a performance reason.”
The team boss does not want to deny that the performance on the track was also spot on for Schumacher. “Canada, Silverstone and Austria were very good,” he says. However, the German was not able to build on that any further.
“Why he had these highlights … I think the car was in good condition for the three races,” said Steiner. “Kevin was always good too. And afterwards, in the second half of the season, I think he wasn’t much worse than Kevin in terms of overall performance, I have to say.”
Name Schumacher as a blessing and a curse
Therefore, the decision was anything but easy for the team. Steiner admits: “After Jeddah and Monte Carlo, the frustration was great. With the two total losses, you get frustrated. And sometimes you make statements that you don’t really think about. I know myself.”
“But it wasn’t an easy decision. We waited properly because we didn’t know exactly what was best for the team. We’ve always said we’re in no hurry to make the decision, so we’ll wait a little longer and see how far it goes,” Steiner explains the process.
In the end, however, they came to the conclusion that it was better “to develop the team further and to get an experienced man”. And so the decision fell on Hulkenberg.
When asked about the media hype, which was getting louder and louder during this time about the question of Schumacher’s future, Steiner says: Sure, the Schumacher surname is both a curse and a blessing. That is known. People all think they have the right to vote.”
“But I think only people who are part of the team or who own the team have the right to vote. Because if you don’t contribute anything, financially or otherwise, you just have an opinion… I always have an opinion too, if I watch football, who should go where. But my opinion doesn’t count.”
“I know that because I don’t have the right to vote. And that’s why it’s annoying, but it has no influence on the decision,” assures the Haas team boss and reveals: “My relationship with Mick was better in the second half of the season than the year and a half before . I think we can look each other in the eyes without any problems.”
“If you’re not present, you’re quickly forgotten”
He can live well with criticism from outside: “The decision was only made for that reason, and I don’t let myself be influenced by people who have an opinion but no responsibility. You just have to see it that way, you have to stand.”
“If someone tells me that I’m doing everything wrong, they should say so. That’s life. You can’t please everyone. That’s why I’m completely relaxed,” says Steiner.
His former team boss sees the fact that Schumacher was signed by Mercedes as a reserve pilot after leaving Haas as an opportunity. “I think it gives him the opportunity to be present in Formula 1. You know it: if you are not present, you are quickly forgotten and he stays there.”
“I don’t know his contract, how much he drives a simulator, how much he tests. I don’t have any details. But it’s not a bad decision,” he classifies Schumacher’s new role. In this he will also be available as a replacement driver for McLaren.