[supermax]

With Haas being in no hurry to proceed with a simple contract extension, and with not just team principal Günther Steiner but also team owner Gene Haas making scathing remarks about Mick, one wonders if their minds are already made up, to dump Mick. In their support, Haas is a back of the pack team with neither money nor the will to groom the next line of great drivers, like say Alpha Tauri. What they need is not a great driver, but a good one, who can push their mediocre machinery so they finish consistently above the usual suspects at the back of the grid, and try and make the most of squabbles up the order, to snatch the odd multiple point finishes, and all this without wrecking the cars.

To be fair to Mick, his career couldn't have taken off in a worse way, given that he had a teammate he could learn nothing from. Had he only had Magnussen as his teammate from the beginning, chances are good that he'd have learned more from his more experienced stable-mate. Mazepin was so bad that he made Mick seem so much more mature than he really was, so the minute Magnussen came aboard, Mick was suddenly looking like a raw rookie, at least during the first half of the 2022 season. Normally, a driver who has the potential for great things reveals this early, be it Lando Norris, George Russell, or Max Verstappen. The fact that pretty much all of Mick's first season was a washout, both in terms of a crappy car and a crappier teammate did him absolutely no favors.

Mick's uncle Ralf raves and rants, but the fact is that Mick hasn't shown himself to be a great driver who could be expected to achieve great things, if given a much better car. Michael Schumacher fans are upset about the treatment Mick is getting, and while it's a fact that he'd have been treated very differently if only Michael would have been up and around, the fact is that Mick's nowhere near ready for a seat in Ferrari or any other top team. The current driver lineup at Ferrari is not only the best driver combination across the entire field, but the fact that both drivers are so young means that there's neither the possibility of direct openings at Ferrari, nor the prospect of other drivers moving to Ferrari from elsewhere on the grid, opening up new places where Mick could fit in. Ralf believes that Haas have no option but to sign Mick on again, but he's wrong there. While somebody like Nick Hülkenberg seems like a has-been, he's exactly the kind of driver Haas need; Nick is very consistent and effective at driving mediocre machinery close to or just over its limits while still not exceeding his own limits. He's got experience by the boatloads, and is more than happy to hop into the car at short notice, not at all unlike Magnussen was.

What Mick really needs is a team which is patient enough to work with him while he improves, and he'll need a strong driver as a stable mate. If only he'd had a teammate like Alonso, or Valtteri, he'd have learned so much more already, but now, he's in the uncomfortable position of no longer being a rookie, with two seasons under his belt, and with very little improvement to show for. The worst part is that he's now on the verge of having no drive for the upcoming season, a season where two confirmed newcomers, Nyck de Vries and Oscar Piastri, and a potential third newcomer in Logan Sargeant will be doing all they can to prove to the world that they are the future champions in the making, so a year's sabbatical could well mean curtains on his career.

[narayans80]

If you take out the fact that he is the son of the legendary Michael Schumacher. Would we even talk about him? Would he have landed in a Haas seat? And he probably is in the Haas seat because of Ferrari.

Barring extraordinary cases like Lewis Hamilton, most other drivers start their career in crappy cars. Alonso started in a Minardi, Senna in a Toleman.

The way he has driven, he hasn't done himself or Haas any favors. While the Ferrari works team is 2nd in constructors, the Haas is languishing at second last. They would rather dig themselves out of this position than save Mick's career.

[Turbohead]

Nah! Mick had a few good drives but beyond that it's not worth mentioning. He has a long way to go.

And when a team principal says that they don't want to continue with him to the media, it doesn't help his career at all.

He really needs to pull his socks up and prove his critics wrong if he wants to return to F1. Until then, he's a write off.

[Cyborg]

It seems the only way for Mick Schumacher to continue in F1 is if he becomes a pay driver. The family could provide funding to the Hass team in order for the legacy to continue, with the hope of him improving to the next level soon.

He unfortunately does not have the brilliance of his illustrious father nor can match up with those around him.

Cheers

[Mechb63]

Haven't we seen Haas do this before? Create buzz in the media to check who would be interested to join them and end up retain g their old line up?

I have a feeling that Mick has atleast another year with Haas.

[Revvatron]

Mick is someone who needs time and patience from the team but the harsh reality is you won't get that be it in F1 or any other sport. Teams are constantly looking for Ver/LEC/Nor/Rus kind of talent who make immediate impact or show that they have serious pace by dragging a slow car across. Yes Mick had hard luck with slow Haas in his first season but when a driver who has been away from sport for a year and then comes back and immediately starts dominating you then it is always going to be difficult. As a Ferrari fan i too was excited to see Schumacher drive for Ferrari someday but based on his performances he doesn't seem to have the extra something about his performance. Maybe he will grab an opportunity with mid table team and might show his talent.
I guess Haas will keep him another season because of the sponsorship he brings in unless they have found some other source.

[AZT]

I do see Mick getting a Ferrari reserve driver role later on if nothing works out

[supermax]

Originally Posted by narayans80

If you take out the fact that he is the son of the legendary Michael Schumacher. Would we even talk about him? Would he have landed in a Haas seat? And he probably is in the Haas seat because of Ferrari.

His father's name certainly opens doors, but don't forget that Mick is a legitimate F3 and F2 champion. He might not be the kind of genius that Charles Leclerc or Oscar Piastri is, to win the championship in their rookie years directly, but he's shown that he's a learner. With the nutcase Russian as a teammate, there was very little he learned though, in his rookie year.

Originally Posted by Mechb63

Haven't we seen Haas do this before? Create buzz in the media to check who would be interested to join them and end up retain g their old line up?

I have a feeling that Mick has atleast another year with Haas.

Yes, might well be how it shapes up, but they'd not trash-talk so much about a driver they wanted to sign up again. And the likes of Hülkenberg and Giovanazzi will be ever-eager and ready to sign up, so it's definitely not like Haas don't have other options.

Originally Posted by Revvatron

I guess Haas will keep him another season because of the sponsorship he brings in unless they have found some other source.

In lower levels, he's shown that he's a fast learner, and driving alongside a journeyman driver like Magnussen seems to be doing him a lot of good. If only he'd had Magnussen as a teammate for his rookie year, we'd have known by now if he'd any real substance (or not). Now, we simply lack the data to come to a decision, one way or the other. Unfortunately for him though, Haas doesn't seem to have the patience to wait anymore and watch.

Originally Posted by AZT

I do see Mick getting a Ferrari reserve driver role later on if nothing works out

A reserve driver role is pretty much a career death sentence. I can't think of any driver who has survived a stint as a reserve and come back. They do get a lot of simulator time and everything, but they might not even get practice sessions, as they are generally earmarked for rookies.

[sameer_vwagner]

Mick joins Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team as a reserve driver for 2023.

Link

It will be interesting to see how the Toto + Lewis effect rubs off on him.

[Psa1122]

Originally Posted by supermax

His father's name certainly opens doors, but don't forget that Mick is a legitimate F3 and F2 champion. He might not be the kind of genius that Charles Leclerc or Oscar Piastri is, to win the championship in their rookie years directly, but he's shown that he's a learner. With the nutcase Russian as a teammate, there was very little he learned though, in his rookie year.
Yes, might well be how it shapes up, but they'd not trash-talk so much about a driver they wanted to sign up again. And the likes of Hülkenberg and Giovanazzi will be ever-eager and ready to sign up, so it's definitely not like Haas don't have other options.
In lower levels, he's shown that he's a fast learner, and driving alongside a journeyman driver like Magnussen seems to be doing him a lot of good. If only he'd had Magnussen as a teammate for his rookie year, we'd have known by now if he'd any real substance (or not). Now, we simply lack the data to come to a decision, one way or the other. Unfortunately for him though, Haas doesn't seem to have the patience to wait anymore and watch.
A reserve driver role is pretty much a career death sentence. I can't think of any driver who has survived a stint as a reserve and come back. They do get a lot of simulator time and everything, but they might not even get practice sessions, as they are generally earmarked for rookies.

Cannot say. Even Riccardo has joined Red Bull than joining a lower down the order team. Maybe Mercedes can help him attain the exposure to hone his skills.

[Dippy]

Good to see Mick joining Mercedes AMG. The reserve driver role in a top team will only help him move forward. He will get to learn so much from Lewis and the rest of the team.

From the way I see it Toto will be grooming Mick to eventually replace Lewis when he retires from racing.

Brilliant move for Mick in my opinion.

[theMAG]

Being in the shadow of an illustrious family member generally tends to end in disappointment, let alone having a legend as your parent/sibling. While the dad's name certainly opens doors, its just a matter of time before they start to close if the young protege has not been able showcase their skills - and then the comparisons become brutal.

The same applied to Ralf Schumacher as well - who was clearly outclassed by his brother.

[BrokenHW]

Mick Schumacher joins Mercedes as reserve driver for 2023.