Mick Schumacher is Mercedes’ reserve driver for 2023; Schumacher has limited options to secure a full-time drive for 2024; Toto Wolff says other teams are “missing out” by overlooking German driver; watch the Austrian GP on Sky Sports F1 this weekend
Last Updated: 27/06/23 6:26am
Mick Schumacher is Mercedes’ reserve driver in 2023
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says other F1 teams are “missing out” on Mick Schumacher as the German driver struggles to find a full-time seat for the 2024 season.
Schumacher is Mercedes’ reserve driver this season after being replaced by Nico Hulkenberg at Haas at the end of 2022 following two difficult seasons with the American team.
Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, was criticised by Guenther Steiner for a series of expensive crashes last season, with the Haas team boss revealing in his book that Schumacher had cost in excess of £1.6m from big crashes in Saudi Arabia, Monaco and Japan.
Wolff, though, feels Schumacher was not in an environment to thrive at Haas and would expect him to perform well at the next team that signs him.
“I think teams are missing out, to be honest. I think he was burned last year,” Wolff said at the Canadian Grand Prix.
“You need to give and provide an environment and framework that is different to every driver, we are all different human beings.
“And whoever gets him will have a very good pilot.”
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David Croft and Craig Slater head to the pub to discuss when Lewis Hamilton will announce his contract, how long will Fernando Alonso be in F1 and the chances of Mercedes taking a win at Silverstone
Schumacher’s hopes of returning to the grid full-time in 2024 are looking slim with limited openings available.
A promotion at Mercedes will not happen as George Russell has extended his contract and Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of signing his own extension.
As things stand, the only openings in 2024 are at Alfa Romeo/Sauber, Williams, AlphaTauri and Haas – with a return to the latter almost certainly out of the question.
Wolff also says he cannot make a Mercedes customer team – Williams, McLaren and Aston Martin – take on Schumacher.
“I’m not even sure that we can facilitate [a seat], because every time we speak highly of him, somebody feels to say something negative,” Wolff said.
“Wherever I can speak highly and praise Mick, that’s what I’m doing.
“But at the end, it’s every team’s authority to decide on their drivers and I very much respect that.
“Our contracts with the teams, were never ‘you have to take our junior driver’, ‘you have to take our reserve driver’, because when I was at Williams, I also wanted to have my own choice.”
Wolff: Schumacher giving Mercedes tremendous advantage
Wolff also hailed the impact Schumacher is having in his role as reserve driver with Mercedes.
Hamilton and Russell praised the work the 24-year-old had done in the simulator on the Friday night of the Spanish GP which helped the team unlock more pace in the W14 and culminated in a double podium finish on the Sunday.
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Watch all of Mercedes’ overtakes at the Spanish GP as they secured a double podium finish and moved ahead of Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship
Wolff says having Schumacher’s experience to do simulator work on race weekends at European grands prix gives Mercedes a big advantage and reiterated he would have no hesitation in having Schumacher step up to cover should Russell or Hamilton be unavailable for a race.
“It’s great to have a mature, successful and experienced Formula 1 driver supporting us,” Wolff said.
“In the simulator with his feedback, that is a tremendous advantage on some of the European grands prix having him in the sim overnight and providing data for the Saturday is a super advantage for us.
“And on the other side is that, if George or Lewis were to have fish poisoning – well, Lewis can’t have fish poisoning, it would be avocado poisoning – then we know we have a super guy that would drive the car well.
“And as much as I like the situation for the benefit of the team, I would every day of the week prefer that Mick sits in a cockpit and actually races.”
Schumacher to drive dad Michael’s Mercedes at Goodwood
Michael Schumacher drives the Mercedes W02 car during the 2011 F1 season – Mick Schumacher will drive the car at Goodwood Festival of Speed in July
Mercedes confirmed last week that Schumacher will drive his father Michael’s W02 car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month.
Schumacher said: “It’s going to be spectacular to run in my dad’s 2011 car, the W02, even if it is only a short run.
“Just experiencing this generation of cars will be mega! Knowing that he raced this car makes it extra special, and there will be many emotions coming with it.
“I have been lucky enough to drive one of his Benetton cars and some of the Ferraris he raced, but this will be the first time behind the wheel of a Mercedes he drove.
“I am sure I will get out of it with a big smile on my face.”
The W02 was the second car designed and built by Mercedes after purchasing Brawn in 2009.
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Austrian Grand Prix
Sky Sports F1’s live Austrian GP schedule
Thursday June 29
2pm: Drivers’ Press Conference
Friday June 30
8.50am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Austrian GP Practice (session starts 12.30)
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.30pm: Austrian GP Qualifying build-up
4pm: Austrian GP Qualifying
6pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Saturday July 1
8.55am: F3 Sprint
10.30am: Austrian GP Sprint Shootout build-up
11am: Austrian GP Sprint Shootout
12.40pm: F2 Sprint
2.30pm: Austrian GP Sprint build-up
3.30pm: Austrian GP Sprint
5pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
Sunday July 2
7.20am: F3 Feature Race
8.50am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Austrian GP build-up
2pm: The AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Austrian GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
Red Bull seek to continue their winning run in 2023 as they return to their home track for the Austrian GP – watch live on Sky Sports F1 from June 30-July 2. Get Sky Sports
