He makes an irritated impression, that’s how Mick Schumacher was addressed on “Sky” after the Formula 1 qualifying in Baku. Schumacher replies: “I’m annoyed. Simply because the whole situation is a bit stupid. Because the car is better than last place.” But that’s exactly where Schumacher is in Azerbaijan: 20th on the starting grid for Sunday’s race.
In the Haas VF-22, Schumacher clocked 1:45.775 minutes in Q1, 0.404 seconds slower than the second weakest car. He was even more than 1.1 seconds behind his team-mate Kevin Magnussen, who was in P16 in the sister car but also retired in the first qualifying segment. Both Haas were already out after Q1.
“I think the qualifying speaks for itself in this case,” says Schumacher, who is now 6-2 behind in a direct duel with Magnussen. Overall, it was “quite disappointing” from his point of view. “We knew it would be close to get into Q2. But actually we would have had the pace to be a little further up the field.”
What went wrong at Haas and Schumacher
So what went wrong at Haas and Schumacher? The German racing driver refers to a decision made by the team: “We came in to get a new set of tires, which in retrospect was probably the wrong strategy. Because we threw away a good lap in that case,” explains Schumacher.
His uncle Ralf Schumacher doesn’t see it that dramatically with “Sky” either: “That can happen sometimes, because you’re usually faster with new tires if there’s no traffic.”
Mick Schumacher sticks to it: he thinks it could have gone better. Original sound: “I didn’t really have a problem. In qualifying, I actually felt quite comfortable. And accordingly [ist es] pity of course.”
“But as I said: Baku is chaotic, Baku is [eine] street circuit, and accordingly there is action [angesagt]. That’s why you can still score points from last place.”
Schumacher’s inspiration for a comeback in Baku
He has a special inspiration there, says Schumacher: “My dad used to manage to start from the back and drive to the front, so there’s no reason why I can’t do the same [können sollte].”
But again Ralf Schumacher has something to object to here: “With the father driving to the front: Yes, but the father also had a different car. So I see it a little differently because [an einem guten Auto] is missing at the moment.”
So Mick Schumacher wants to try to benefit from any failures in the race, says that “on average six cars don’t see the checkered flag” in Baku and says, probably not meant too seriously: “If there are six cars, only four are missing , which I have to overtake at the start, then things will look good.”
Uncle Ralf Schumacher contradicts repeatedly
Uncle Ralf Schumacher doesn’t seem convinced again: “You can count on other people dropping out, but of course that’s not in your own hands. That’s why a point run like this will only be possible with a lot of luck.”
Mick Schumacher still calculates “a good position” and maybe the first Formula 1 points. That is “not so far-fetched” when you consider how turbulent the races in Baku can be.
And at this point, Mick Schumacher reaps the understanding of Ralf Schumacher: “I understand that you’re angry after P20 and a possible wrong decision by the team,” says Ralf Schumacher. He adds: “At least he was honest now.”
Investigation against Haas and Schumacher
Mick Schumacher also has to give the sports commissioners information just as sincerely later on Saturday evening in Baku: An investigation is underway against both Haas drivers due to an incident in the pit lane in qualifying.
What does Mick Schumacher think about it? “Let’s see,” he says simply. He’ll just “chat a little” with the sports commissioners. “And if [eine Strafe kommt], it doesn’t go further backwards anyway. So let’s see.”