With the grid practically defined for next season, one of the great unknowns is knowing where Mick Schumacher will race. Ferrari are happy with his performance, but with Carlos Sainz and Leclerc in the team, he will still have to wait for a chance. For now, his first experience in Formula 1 has come from the hand of Haas , a team that wants to continue to count on his services. Nonetheless, Mick Schumacher has been tempted by Williams in recent days.
“Without a doubt, Mick Schumacher is a driver to be reckoned with . I have to say that this season Mick is doing a great job with the tools at his disposal ”, Jost Capito acknowledged on RTL . “He is only facing his first year in Formula 1, but he has been absolutely intelligent in managing the car, the team and his season in general, ” continued team principal Williams.
“He’s a good kid and he really deserves to drive a winning car . I am confident that this will happen and, if that car were a Williams, it would be even better ”, finished Jost Capito on Mick Schumacher.
For the first time this season in Q2
The German is coming off his best qualifying session in Istanbul. With the slowest car on the grid , Mick Schumacher managed to sneak in for the first time this season in Q2. Unfortunately, he could not confirm his good feelings on Sunday and finished the Turkish Grand Prix 19th.
“Judging from the performance of the last weekend, Mick had a bit of bad luck in general terms , also because he gave the impression of adapting well to the circuit and the adverse conditions of the track,” lamented Günther Steiner, Jost Capito’s counterpart in Haas.
“ In any case, it has shown great potential . Not only on this occasion, but also throughout the year. I am satisfied with what he has managed to do and I hope that he will have more opportunities to be able to stand out and show his talent ”, he added.
Between Haas and Williams
It is not surprising that Haas, who has already confirmed Mezepin for next season, wants to do the same with Mick Schumacher despite the friction between the two drivers. “ We have had some misunderstanding, but it is normal . We are two young men trying to have a long race in Formula 1. We have known each other for a long time. We will find a way to work together ”, commented the Russian.
Precisely because of their friction, and because they need it to be so, Ferrari prefers to see the Kaiser’s son in a team with greater aspirations. And it is in Williams that George Russell has been able to earn a steering wheel at Mercedes. Still they appreciate the great season he’s doing. “In his debut campaign in Formula 1, Mick is confirming the speed and values that made him stand out throughout his previous youth career . Speed, determination, effort and the desire to learn. These are some of the characteristics that he had revealed within our Academy and that he has also begun to demonstrate with Haas. We are very confident that his growth will continue and will be even stronger in a team with which he shares ambitions, ”said Laurent Mekies, Ferrari sporting director.
Alonso wants something better for Mick
Another who praised the German after the Grand Prix of Turkey was Fernando Alonso. After being rammed with Pierre Gasly, the Spaniard was relegated to the back of the grid, where he fought with Mick Schumacher. “It really is something special to have him in Formula 1 , he reminds me a lot of his father in his body language, his expressions and in almost everything. It also has the same letters on the time monitor and when I see it it is something very moving, “he said after the race.
” I like him a lot, I like his style and I like that he is in Formula 1. It would be good to see him soon at the wheel of a car that is more competitive, ” added Fernando Alonso .
It could have a place at Ferrari in 2023
Although in Maranello they boast of the couple that make up Leclerc and Carlos Sainz , the latter ends his contract in 2022. Curiously, shortly after announcing that Mick Schumacher would be racing at Haas this season, Mattia Binotto, head of the Ferrari team, declared: “The Ferrari Driver Academy was not created to breed Formula 1 drivers, but to create the next Ferrari driver. Today is too early to decide but there are premises to see Mick in red in 2023 ”. To this, Carlos Sainz replied: “ I am not worried about Mick Schumacher. I arrive at Ferrari without an expiration date and on equal terms with my teammate. The intention is to create a cycle ”.
At the moment Mick Schumacher will have no place at Ferrari or as a test driver. For the next season Antonio Giovinazzi has already been confirmed as such. “ Giovinazzi remains as our reserve rider, the first alternative to the headlines . He is showing growth every year and I hope he can stay at Alfa, he deserves it ”, revealed Mattia Binotto.
Alfa Romeo, another option
While waiting to see what Alfa Romeo does with Antonio Giovinazzi, the only driver confirmed by the team for next season is Valtteri Bottas , so Mick Schumacher also has options to be his partner. ” I really don’t think about what will happen next year, we’ll see how everything goes ,” said the 22-year-old when asked about it.
Like Alfa Romeo with Valtteri Bottas, Williams is looking for a partner for Alex Albon for next season. As for Haas , he is confident that he can retain Mick Schumacher, although this is a back-and-forth negotiation in which Ferrari will also decide what is best for its driver.
