SUMMARY
- Bernie Ecclestone believes that Haas just used Mick Schumacher to attract sponsors.
- Mick Schumacher needs to prove himself in 2024 if he hopes to get back to F1 racing.
Mick Schumacher made headlines when he won the 2020 Formula 2 Championship. Following that year, he found his way to F1 with Haas. However, he was not able to find success with the team and was let go after just 2 years.
He now finds himself as only a reserve driver for Mercedes as he tries to find his way back to the F1 grid in the coming years. Former F1 CEO, Bernie Ecclestone claims that Mick made his F1 debut with the wrong team. He claims that the young German would have found more success if he entered the sport with another team.
Bernie Ecclestone accuses Haas of using Mick Schumacher’s name
In a recent interview, Bernie Ecclestone spoke about Mick Schumacher’s time with Haas in 2021 and 2022. However, he believes that the team did not allow Mick to be himself, but instead just used his name to attract sponsors.
“Mick [Schumacher] got lost on the wrong team with the wrong people. At Haas, they took his name. They were never interested in how good or bad he was.”
After the 2020 season, Haas had a lot of financial issues as the lockdown cost them a lot of money. This resulted in Guenther Steiner looking out for sponsors to help them from the 2021 season. Steiner decided to replace both their drivers with 2 rookies. This was one of the mistakes made by the team.
Bernie Ecclestone believes Mick Schumacher was never given a real opportunity in his two-year stint at Haas
Bernie: “Mick [Schumacher]got lost on the wrong team with the wrong people. At Haas they took his name. They were never interested in how good or bad he was.” pic.twitter.com/6Vgi5skoKe
— ザバ🇿🇦 (@XavaBlue) January 21, 2024
They hired Mick Schumacher to drive alongside another rookie, Nikita Mazepin. Both of these drivers attracted a lot of sponsors. Mazepin’s father alone provided millions of dollars to Haas as his son was driving for the team. Given that the Schumacher name is the most popular name in F1, that name alone attracted several sponsors from Germany.
After one year, Mazepin no longer drove for the team. He was replaced by Kevin Magnussen. A year after that, Mick lost his seat as well. He was replaced by another German, Nico Hulkenberg. There are certain experts who still feel that Mick Schumacher would have accomplished a lot more if he drove for another that would not use him for the money.
Mick Schumacher wins a lifeline with Alpine
Although Mick is not on the F1 grid at the moment, he has gained a lifeline with Alpine. The young German did not have the opportunity to race in 2023. However, in 2024 he will be driving for Alpine in the WEC series. This means he will be racing in the Le Mans race as well.
This opportunity gives him the chance to prove himself to all the teams in F1. The 2025 season will probably provide Mick with the best opportunity to return to the F1 grid. He will have to impress all the teams if he wishes to get back to F1 racing.
Mick Schumacher will compete for Alpine in WEC next season.
Best of luck, Mick ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GC3CFy4e3Q
— Mercedes-AMG F1 News (@MercedesNewsUK) November 22, 2023
After the 2024 season, there will be a total of 14 seats empty. This includes 2 seats in Alpine. Given that Mick already has a good relationship with Alpine, he could drive for the French team if one of their existing drivers decided to take their talents elsewhere. There are rumors that Esteban Ocon could be on his way to Aston Martin to replace Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll. If this happens, Alpine will have very limited options.
The departure of Esteban Ocon from Alpine will mean that the team can go after Mick. This will be his way back to the F1 grid. There are also rumors that Mick could drive for Audi from the 2026 season. However, he will need to get some more experience in order to do so. If he manages to get an F1 seat in 2025, his move to Audi in 2026 or later will be more probable.
It will be interesting to see how Mick performs for Alpine this year. If he wins Le Mans, he will most likely be back on the F1 grid in 2025. Do you think Mick can find his way back to F1? Post your answers in the comments section below.