Since it became clear that Mick Schumacher was not extended at Haas and does not have a regular place for the 2023 Formula 1 season, the German has been looking for options for the future. One could be acting as a reserve driver at Mercedes. Team boss Toto Wolff himself threw this idea into the ring.
Finally, with Nyck de Vries, Mercedes lost its reserve driver to AlphaTauri. There the Dutchman was able to get hold of a cockpit for the next season.
“I’m really proud that Nyck has made it into F1, even if he’s changing families. He deserves to be in F1 and it also shows that it was right for him and for us to that he won the world championship in Formula E for us and was our reserve,” emphasizes Wolff.
“The same applies to Stoffel,” he continues, addressing Mercedes’ second reserve – Stoffel Vandoorne. He will be in the service of Aston Martin in the coming Formula 1 season, where he will act as a test and reserve driver. “You have fledged to go on with someone else.”
Wolff raves about Mick Schumacher
That opens the door for Schumacher. Wolff states: “Mick is someone who has always been close to our hearts because of Michael or the whole Schumacher family.”
“Ralf has been driving for us in the DTM for a long time, his son drives Mercedes in the GT class and Mick is an intelligent, well-bred young man. He was very successful in the junior formulas. And we believe that we are looking can take care of him if the situation arises,” said Wolff.
Nothing has yet been fixed in writing or the conditions have been discussed. “It was just important to me to say at a time when it was difficult for Mick that we value him very much,” explains the Mercedes team boss, adding: “He deserves a place on the starting grid and not as a test driver. “
“Perhaps there is an intermediate step where we can play a role,” muses Wolff. “I see it so openly because I think he just fits and now we have to make it possible if he wants, if Sabine (Kehm, manager; editor’s note) wants.”
So far, Schumacher was part of the Ferrari driver academy. “We as Ferrari and the Ferrari Driver Academy believe that he is a great driver now,” says team boss Mattia Binotto. “I think he’s always been evolving throughout his career and he’s evolving this season as well.”
“If you look at how he started and where he is now, I think he has shown that he is capable of developing,” said Binotto.
Schumacher: Mercedes is an option
“Once Haas has decided on another choice for next season, we’re going to have to sit down with Mick to decide what’s best for the future. And I think the decision will be what’s best for him .”
Ferrari does not have a cockpit to offer at the moment, the team boss states and is “open to various possibilities” so that Schumacher “so young in his career” gets the best opportunity for him. “But of course we have to sit down with him and decide now,” says Binotto.
Schumacher himself wants to weigh his options carefully and Mercedes is one of them. He welcomed Wolff’s words of invitation: “It’s definitely very flattering to hear what Mercedes and especially Toto say about me.”
“Mercedes is a great brand and what they have achieved in Formula 1 is incredible. Of course I’m looking at my options, including Mercedes. My father switched from Ferrari to Mercedes at the time,” he recalls the German. “I see no reason why I shouldn’t do the same.”
“I have the time now so I will consider all the options that are available to me and hopefully make the right decision for me,” said Schumacher.
Looking ahead to 2024 and a possible full-time return to Formula 1, he is confident: “I’ve shown my pace and I know that a lot of people in the paddock are happy with my development, so I can definitely talk to a lot of teams.”
TV expert Glock: “There is great potential”
From the point of view of TV expert Timo Glock, Schumacher was also able to score points with his professionalism away from the race track. Because how he reacted to his departure from Haas was more than exemplary: “Something so calm at the age of 23 and not working against the team shows his size and class.”
“I wish him that he can take a step next year, even if it’s only as a test driver, possibly with Mercedes, and develop in such a way that he comes back in 2024 and can then show everyone what he’s made of,” Glock looks ahead .
The ex-Formula 1 driver is convinced: “There is great potential if you give Mick Schumacher more support, which Günther Steiner unfortunately didn’t manage. I’m sure other team bosses know how to handle it better. Then it will you really see the potential of Mick Schumacher.”