The month-long stalemate over Mick Schumacher's future at his Haas racing team is over: the German Formula 1 driver will apparently no longer drive for the US team in the coming season. Another German will probably take his place.
Mick Schumacher's future with his team Haas has been clarified after a long stalemate: According to consistent media reports, the German Formula 1 driver will not receive a new contract with the US team. This seems to seal the at least temporary end of the 23-year-old as a regular driver in the premier class. According to information from RTL/ntv, Schumacher's compatriot Nico Hülkenberg will take over the vacated cockpit. Schumacher's contract with the US team expires.
Hülkenberg, who is currently the reserve driver at Aston Martin, has long been considered a prime candidate for the successor. The Rhinelander was a regular driver in Formula 1 until 2020, collecting 521 points in 181 races and once on pole position. In the first two races of the current season, Hülkenberg had replaced the sick Sebastian Vettel, but only finished 12th and 17th in the Aston Martin. "Expect the announcement sometime next week," said Haas team boss Günther Steiner in São Paulo with a view to the season finale in Abu Dhabi. "But I won't reveal the day because then everyone will be waiting for that day. But it will come next week." The indications had long since accumulated that Haas and Schumacher were going their separate ways.
Haas had long since made his decision about Schumacher's future. "Yes, that's right," Steiner replied at the Grand Prix in Brazil when asked whether the racing team had already selected the teammate next to the Dane Kevin Magnussen, who was set for 2023. "We're just sorting out the details of how we're going to do it and what we're going to do." According to information from several media, team boss Steiner Schumacher announced the end of his career at Haas during the race weekend in Brazil. Haas brought Schumacher into Formula 1 last season.
As "Bild" reports, the damage record also played a role in the decision against Schumacher: Schumacher, who was only able to collect twelve world championship points in 42 races, has suffered more than three damage to his cars this season alone caused millions of euros. After his 13th place on Sunday in São Paulo and a difficult second year at Haas, Schumacher admitted: "Sometimes it's your year and sometimes it's not. I don't think this year was mine."
In order to remain part of the premier class, Schumacher now has to get a job as a test driver. Alpine and Mercedes are considered possible candidates. Mercedes sports director Toto Wolff had recently opened a door: "I make no secret of the fact that the Schumacher family belongs to Mercedes and that we value Mick very much." They will "definitely discuss this option if it arises. But the first priority must be to end up in a racing cockpit, because he can and deserves it." However, all realistic options of becoming a regular driver with another team had gradually been smashed for Schumacher over the past few weeks.
However, there is still a small chance of a regular cockpit: Logan Sargeant, who is set at Williams, still has to score the necessary points for the F1 super license at the Formula 2 finale in Abu Dhabi. It's actually a formality, but if the American doesn't make it, it would open a door for Schumacher with the traditional British team. Williams boss Jost Capito had already described Schumacher as a "charming" option in an RTL/ntv interview at the beginning of October.
RTL / ntv formula reporter Felix Görner showed a medium-term perspective for Schumacher in his column on sport.de: "Such a break in 2023 without a Grand Prix is then a slight step backwards, but it can possibly help him a lot in the future. If If Audi joins Sauber (Alfa Romeo) in 2024, there may be an opportunity for Schumacher to come back. That should be Schumacher's plan B."
