After a poor form in the Haas team and building tensions within the group involving the team principal, Mick Schumacher joined the Mercedes Formula 1 team ahead of the ongoing 2023 season. He is serving as the reserve driver and is ready to nab every opportunity to take the driver’s seat and get back on the track. The team principal, Toto Wolff has been in favor of the young driver and believes there is a lot of potential in him.
According to Wolff, Schumacher Jr. “deserves to be on the grid.” He added, “He is fast. If you win F3 and F2, there is great potential in you, and he has never been able to show it. But the contribution in the simulator is tremendous and that makes us sometimes make big leaps from Friday to Saturday because he is working hard overnight.” It is safe to say that Mick has managed to satisfy the team and Toto Wolff in his efforts as the reserve driver.
Mick Schumacher about his seat chances
“Hope dies last. As long as not all of the seats are taken it’s not over. You could see in the last two,three few years that things can still change even when contracts are still in place. Therefore it would be wrong to already loose hope.” pic.twitter.com/RTxZJxVwBS
— Xava🇿🇦 (@XavaBlue) September 12, 2023
But there were whispers floating around the paddock that the young German would consider his chances with the possibility of an available spot in Williams. The American driver on board the team, Logan Sargeant is running out of his current agreement with the team. As both the Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell received their contract extensions, the chances of Mick securing a full-time seat at Silver-Arrows are thin.
Toto Wolff backed Mick Schumacher against cruel treatment from Guenther Steiner
After a duration of two seasons, the Haas team decided to let go of Schumacher and offered his spot to the much-experienced Nico Hulkenberg. This decision was a consequence of the domino effect of aggression building within the team. Mick delivered a below-average performance in the 2022 season, which saw a number of high-profile accidents that cost Haas almost a fortune and they eventually decided to part ways with the German driver.
Sebastian Vettel spoke about mick Schumacher and made it clear what he thinks:
“Mick deserves a seat in Formula 1. He is the Only German talent left.” pic.twitter.com/1UA1BiYlLX
— Xava🇿🇦 (@XavaBlue) September 11, 2023
Schumacher’s strained relationship with the team was put out into the world in the latest season of Drive to Survive, a Netflix documentary that revolves around Formula 1. In a certain episode, the team lead, Steiner was seen conversing with the owner of the team, Gene Haas. In an unprofessional manner, he used cuss words against the rookie driver who had crashed his car during the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix of 2022. This event brought in a lot of criticism against Haas and Guenther Steiner.
When this scene reached the public eye and those who were part of F1, Toto Wolff came in support of the driver. He said, “And I claim that if Michael had accompanied his son during the two Haas years, Steiner would not have dared to treat Mick like that! If one of our drivers gets COVID or gets injured, Mick will be in the Mercedes!” As per Wolff, it would be a different ballgame altogether if Mick’s world-champion father, Michael Schumacher was around.
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