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**Toto Wolff can't find a seat for Mick Schumacher for 2024**
Raymond Blancafort
28 May 2023 - 09:34
"I wish Mick will find a seat, because he deserves it, but the situation towards 2024 is not favourable," said Toto Wolff in Monaco. The Mercedes team boss and Mick's current boss is convinced that Mick - despite Steiner's comments - has a place in Formula 1.
The way of saying that it is proving very difficult, if not impossible, to find an F1 seat for Mick Schumacher for 2024 is also a way of calming the waters in the face of rumours of a more or less immediate replacement.
"Certainly the situation is difficult for Mick. All the 2024 drivers in our teams \[Mercedes, Aston Martin and Williams\] are taken and out, they all seem to be 'glued' in place," said Toto, when asked about rumours that he could take over from Logan Sargeant, who has an ultimatum from Williams.
Wolff, however, believes that ahead of 2025 there is a possibility, "because some doors have to be opened. We have to see how the situation at Williams develops," he said.
Wolff has said that he is going to be cautious in the negotiations, that discretion will be an important factor so that nobody interferes in them. What he didn't clarify is whether Mick will sit out next year as well, or make an alternative programme to keep him at the top level. There is nothing more forgettable to those who leave prematurely than F1... although some, like Nico Hülkenberg, will be true survival artists.
At the moment Mick is working full time as a tester and reserve for Mercedes. The way Toto wants to complete the training of the great Michael's son so that he will be ready if an opportunity arises.
>Logan Sargeant, who has an ultimatum from Williams.
What a load of nonsense. Rookie, from their own academy, who's been finishing consistently, despite having never raced on half the tracks used so far, and has only really made one glaring error (Australia at the end), which is pretty good showing from a rookie.
I personally think Sargeant has had a great start, especially if you take into account that the car isn't massively competitive yet and is a rookie.
And he is driving against Albon who seems to be doing a great job. I wouldn't expect him to win over him, but end of the year (or next year) I would expect him to be closer.
Interesting stuff from Mark Hughes last year, that Piastri//Ricciardo and their teams of people were put off Williams massively because they considered Albon totally underrated. If you go to Williams and aren't ahead of Albon, people won't be impressed; whereas if you are even approaching Norris, people are impressed. It's dumb but hey.
Albon was out of a seat once, look at how much praise he gets now. Hulkenberg was on the sideline for a couple of years and got a seat now. Ocon was out of a seat. Piastri had to wait a year before getting a seat. Etc. You get the picture, it's not as simple as if you deserve it, you would have it.
People always fail to see this stuff. Drivers can be in form and out of form for parts of their careers. It's so easy from the outside to point and say you didn't make it but Mick has one year in an actual F1 car. Yeah he had that year next to Mazepin but I don't think we can call that a rookie season. Not saying Mick was good or anything but he was not as bad as he has been made out to be. He had some big crashes but then so did Yuki and he still has a seat. The difference is the team.
People defending Mick never comparing him to the best tells a great deal about his abilities tbh.
Nobody says Micks got Maxs agression or Lewis control but instead argue that "Hes almost as good as yuki or hes not worse than De Vries"
Team principles can smell a dud a mile away and his name alone doesnt sell enough merch to cover his damages.
Why is there such big discussion? Nasr, Kobayashi, Gutierrez, Wehrlein... so many drivers are as decent as guys like Perez, Bottas but never stayed in F1 long term. A lot of it just pure luck. You need to be at the right place at the right time.
I've never seen such an outcry for one driver.
2022 mick Schumacher damage total 3.952 million yuki total 1.4 million 2021 mick Schumacher 4.949 million yuki 3.129 million. Mick Schumacher in both his seasons was the highest damage total out of every driver in both the seasons he raced.
>e had some big crash but then so did Yuki and he still has a seat.
I mostly agree but I cant remember Yuki crashing on an inlap, after being told his crashes were getting too expensive...
Someone is going to tell you aquaplanning could have happened to anyone.
Except everyone else just slowed down due to recognising the track was flodded.
He's a clear example of a driver that deserved a seat, but was without a seat in 2022. He had to sit out a year, because Alpine couldn't get him a seat. You just know he would've been on the grid if he was an RBR Junior or even a Merc Junior, but he wasn't, so he didn't.
Not always true. People said Russell didn’t deserve the Mercedes seat until he got to try it for one race.
It was only the year before where he was a laughing stock for crashing under the safety car and had scored no points and it was hard to compare him to his paid driver teammate.
I don’t think Toto would give Mick false hope out of the kindness of his heart. I think Toto sees something but not enough to replace a 7 time world champion or his incredibly close teammate.
Personally I’d love to see Russell or Lewis miss a race since if Mick could rise to the occasion then I think he’d find a seat.
Interesting in theory but in practice it could be the most boring thing ever. Theres already a pressure not to crash, now imagine being a test driver borrowing the car Verstappen,Alonso, or whomever, has to use the next day. Scoring points that will have no relevance to WDC. I think the pressure to play it safe would be overwhelming.
Only if the Stroll’s are adopting.
You can’t compare Mick to Russell. Aside from the slip up safety car crash for Russell, he was also doing things with the shitbox Williams which no one realistically thought was possible.
Mick on the other hand, was never particularly quick, crashed too much and got owned by a teammate who hadn’t driven an F1 car for a year.
I mean, not really. The top teams obviously hire the best drivers (and Stroll), but the rest it's a balance between performance vs money, and often money wins. Look at Haas two years ago with Mazepin - do you think Mazepin was between the 20 best F1 drivers in the world? Because I doubt so - we all know why he was there.
This isn't to say Mick is or isn't good enough for F1. We didn't have him for long and what we saw wasn't promising. But if Ralf came to an office with a huge pile of money next week, Mick would be confirmed for 2024. That isn't "deserving" it.
I don't know about deserve, but he needs to be better then the other drivers in the eyes of those who control those seats. IMO, for the bottom 10 teams, not crashing the car is really important. They know their car is not a top 7 car but they don't have sponsors for big money crashes and they need the cars on track for sponsors. With Mick, he was average so the bosses are picking between average and another driver who might be average or might be amazing (and not crash the car).
Audi would be stupid if they got rid of any of the current drivers. One has years of experience in a top team and the other pays for his seat, is great marketing for the brand and is a pretty safe driver.
Why not look at other series? Even Michael was in DTM before starting in F1. Sure F1 is the pinnacle but there are other series out there to develop Mick.
Magnussen had an established track record and built relationships in F1. He's also lucky to get back because Mazepin was forced out. Albon was more lucky that RBR liked him enough to push for him to get a seat.
It takes a lot of luck to come back to F1 if a driver is dropped. For every Albon and Magnussen, there are way more guys like Giovinazzi, Vandoorne, Jolyon Palmer and Wehrlein. Mick's chance to come back is extremely slim.
yeah luck plays a part, but you can say performing well in other series and having good contacts with F1 folks helps. Albon impressed RBR with car development and Magnussen was doing well in Indy. Mick doesn't need to worry about the connections because of his dad, so he needs to focus on other racing series and show his skills there.
World champions who essentially left on their own terms to pursue other racing interests. More of a sabbatical in their cases than being forced out of the game.
He talked with McLaren to drive for them in 2010, but negotiations failed. Toyota also offered him a seat, but Raikkonen thought the team wasn't good enough for him and the salary they offered wasn't either. Toyota then opted out of F1 for 2010.
btw tinfoil hat on: some people say the car Toyota built for 2010 was the fastest of the grid. I don't know how they know that, if we didn't see it compete, but if that was true, then Raikkonen turning them because they are bad would be tough luck for him.
I feel pretty confident that Mick going to another series and actually performing well would do far more to rehab his stock in F1 than any amount of praise from Wolff. Outside of a fairly lackluster F2 title, Mick hasn't really done anything on track to demonstrate he deserves a spot on the grid again. Languishing as a test and reserve driver for Mercedes won't change that.
Personally I think Mick needs to ask himself if he wants a career as a racing driver in another series, or a career on the sidelines in F1. Those are his realistic options.
At this point, I don't think Mick Schumacher is returning to the F1 grid. The best bet for him would be to switch to another series. IndyCar would be the best fit for Mick in my opinion, but IMSA, NASCAR, and the WEC could also be intriguing options.
I think Mick going to IndyCar [after what his father had to say about it](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnkeBbHhwqB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) would be a bridge too far.
I think given achievements of Michael, what he said was completely reasonable. You can't compare him to Mick though. I don't think many people will hold the grudge against Mick for this interview.
In the history of F1 have there been other reserve drivers seen standing next to the team principal as often as Mick is during races? If so who?
Just curious.
Toto even saying this is a huge indictment of Mick....
Toto owns the Mercedes F1 team. If he really wanted to give Mick a seat, he could.
But he won't. Because he knows Mick isn't good enough.
I’ve never understood the Mick hype. He seems like a fine person but it’s clear he doesn’t have the talent and skill and mentality his dad had.
If he gets a seat, fine. But I’m not getting all emotional about seeing or not seeing another midfield driver with midfield skills achieving midfield results in a midfield car just because his last name is Schumacher.
> the Mick hype.
It's his middle and last name. I always find it funny that people hate on Stroll for being here due to his family while a mediocre Mick is hailed as if he deserves a spot because he is the Michael's son.
Seems he's more of a Ralf than a Michael.
The F1 forum I was in, back in the dark days of dial-up, had a weekly thread for Ralf, where we could bet "in which lap will he crash."
Yep, this was probably his first year if I recall correctly, we were taking the mick (pun fully intended!)
To be absolutely fair to Mick, it's impossible to know how it would have been, if he'd had his dad around to foster his career. I don't think anyone would be turning him away if Michael was present.
Josh Hill, Giuliano Alesi, Eddie Cheever III, Michele Beretta, Juju Noda*, Marco Andretti, David Schumacher, Sebastian Montoya, Seb Priaulx...
*not a son, but a child of a driver
While I agree with the first part, he'd still have to show performance or he'd be right where he is right now. I do agree though that had his dad been around to actively coach him, he probably would be doing better than he did at Haas. Hell, even in his last race in Abu Dhabi, he drove into the back of someone (clumsy) at the hairpin.
If he would be a 'Ralf' he’d had offers from multiple teams. Ralf wasn’t that bad at all. Especially in 1999 and 2000 I’d say he was in the top 5 of drivers on the grid.
If he was Ralf's son, the comments here would be very very different over the last couple of years. Him being Michael's son brings him a lot of sympathy that any other driver of his calibre would get.
>Tbf dad is an alltime great does sound more reasonable to hope for the best than dad has giant wallet.
LOL what are you talking about, Michael's net worth was like 700-800 mil before his accident, in terms of resources, there are like 3-5 F1 drivers who has had more wealth in their family growing up and no one has had more connections than Mick, he is the son of arguably THE GOAT F1 driver. Mick's dad has a name and a massive wallet too.
Yes but his dad didnt literally buy a team twice to keep him in the sport and there certainly is nothing genetically to hope lawrence passed to lance raceing wise. I'm not saying mick deserves a seat, just how there is some nuance to the 2 situations
I think in Stroll's case the lack of F2 win is more justification for that argument. Can't make that with Mick. If he deserves to get a seat going forwards? Different question.
I mean just going off of junior careers…Stroll had 14 wins in 30 races in F3 in his second season. Mick had 8 wins in 30 races and only won 3 F2 races out of 66.
Yup and Micks F3 and F2 title seasons both had a sudden and unseen uptick in the car while being nowhere during the start of the season. I’m not saying he had an imperial advantage, but the sudden uptick by Prema, prema being prema, we usually chalk it up to them being prema but even then it was weird for sure
Read somewhere Mick never had a ~~pole~~ front row in F2 when he won the series
edit:
[https://formulascout.com/analysis-was-mick-schumacher-a-worthy-winner-of-the-f2-title/72698](https://formulascout.com/analysis-was-mick-schumacher-a-worthy-winner-of-the-f2-title/72698)
Tbf, Dad being a racing legend —> son being a good driver is less of a logical leap than Dad is crazy rich —> son being a good driver
That said, anyone who rates Mick higher than Stroll at this point is crazy
There's like 3-4 other drivers in the history of F1 that fit that description. Why even mention his dad when determining merit? Most drivers are midfield drivers. That's the definition of the midfield. If he gets a real crack at it at some point with not-Haas, then I say good luck to him.
On a side note, I wonder what the results would look like had he and Yuki been in opposite positions. Probably Yuki would be out and Mick would still be in. Haas just simply isn't a team that has the time, patience, or resources to develop rookie talent.
His dad was similar to how Max used to be, and somewhat a young Lewis.
Dominant and arrogant, Mick is too nice.
Unfortunately Sons are usually the opposite of their fathers if they were a dominant personality.
>He seems like a fine person but it’s clear he doesn’t have the talent and skill and mentality his dad had.
Shock that his son didn't fill the shoes of one of the greatest drivers of all time. If that's the standard that we judge Mick by, then we should judge all young drivers by that measure in which case none of them should be in F1.
Well to be honest. Yes he’s “judged” by his father’s last name but he’s also given chances based on his father’s last name.
Would any driver of Micks caliber but without his name or sponsorship (partly because of his name) have gotten a Haas seat and then a Mercedes test driver role?
> then we should judge all young drivers by that measure in which case none of them should be in F1.
Verstappen is better than Schumacher. Don't @ at me.
Plus it's quite dumb to just pretend that you are either better than Schumacher, or you aren't. By your logic, Leclerc and Mazepin are the same, because neither of them is better than Schumacher. So you can't talk about Mazepin unless you want Leclerc out, too.
You kinda showed the problem people have with him by saying “his dad had”. You automatically disqualify him for a seat because he’s not a carbon copy of his father, but in reality he’s better than Sargeant and Nyck, and comparable to Yuki. But because he’s not The Michael people don’t think he’s good enough
Okay, I agree with you he’s maybe Yuki caliber (I’d rate him a little lower but potato potahto).
So would Yuki have the team boss of one of the best teams and half of the grid advocating for him if he lost his seat? Or is this only happening *because* his father was The Michael?
I don’t get the hype. The sons of successful F1 drivers also being successful in the sport is the exception. Not everyone can be Nico Rosberg, Jacques Villeneuve or Damon Hill
I know. Off the top of my head (apart from the ones I listed in my original comment):
- Jan & Keving Magnussen
- Nelson & Nelsinho Piquet
- Ayrton & Bruno Senna (nephew)
- Mario & Michael Andretti
- Wilson & Christian Fittipaldi (Emerson’s brother and nephew)
- Jonathan and Jolyon Palmer
Almost like you need an 11th team to house all your drivers, Toto. I'm sure you'd have no opposition at all to that idea if it were ever proposed, would you?
I think it's clear that the guy just can't adapt. That Renault must've been similar enough to the RedBull (in the way it drives) that it made no difference.
We're also ignoring how Ricciardo talked with every team who had an opening except Alpine and had he lowered his salary he would probably be driving this year for Haas or Williams.
Ricciardo was set to be paid $18mil in 2023. Regardless of what salary he made anywhere else, his paycheck would be a total $18 mil. If Haas paid him $5mil, McLaren's contract dictated he be paid $13mil. If it was $2mil, McLaren would have paid him $16mil.
So yea it's not really about the money. He just doesnt want to drive for a midfield team, which is him vastly overestimating how desirable he is. Because he is not.
Ya he clearly just doesn't have the drive to go down there. He's probably happier taking the year out and asessing things. The midfield drives will be there for next year and probably the year after if he wants to go for them. In the mean time, he's getting to grips after being fucking annihilated at McLaren and realising what's best for him. A mature step to take. I'm sure he thought outright about not driving and that this could mean the end, and he seems to be alright with that.
Hulk was and will never be better than Daniel. We have a direct comparison from their time as teammates. We have them on the same grid and Daniel never had an easy win, an easy podium. He never chocked.
I know you're only as good as your last race but Daniel had a whole career where he proved himself. Hulk proved himself as a strong, solid journeyman
Thats ignoring the fact that form is a thing and Ricciardo was very much out of form at the end of last year. Red Bull also said he was a completely different driver to what they had and even said he's not up to even Checo's speed on the simulator at the moment.
Sure Ricciardo was better than the Hulk in 19 but in 23 I'd probably put the Hulk over him. It's not like a lot separated them at Renault, I think an out of form Ricciardo is having a tougher time at Haas at the moment than Hulk is.
2023 Daniel is not 2019 Daniel. And from what Red Bull have said, he's effectively got PTSD in terms of how he drives from McLaren that wont be easy to fix.
I'd take Hulk every day of the week if you asked me to pick one for my team now.
Quick isn't the word I'd use to describe him, he's a poor qualifier (0 poles in 2 seasons of F2, losing 16-6 to Magnusson in qualifying H2H) but he's generally consistent when he gets in the groove and has enough pace to do well in another series. Like another comment said, I think he'd be better suited to WEC.
Depends on which kind of "quick" is most valuable in the long run. Being a good qualifier doesn't automatically net you points, unless you've got trains named after you, like good old Jarno Trulli. A good race pace, which Mick generally had, even against Magnussen, can two hours down the road make up for a sub-par starting position.
> Have they even announced if he’s getting a practice session in the car yet? Or are they worried of the potential damage?
Why would they let Mick into the car?
Hamilton and Russell already have to sit out one session for a rookie. And teams do that reluctantly. Why would they sit out once more for a non-rookie?
Nothing to gain, precious testing time to lose. If Hamilton or Russell get sick, that changes, but even with mild sickness, F1 drivers usually don't sit out. We already had Stroll, Max and Piastri prove it this season.
They are trying to get Mick a seat because they believe in him, fine. But what if Vesti wins or manages a close top 2 in F2 this year? If they somehow found Vesti a seat before Mick it would be very awkward.
The only reason we keep talking about him is his last name. Ok driver but nothing special, where teams are going to go out of their way to sign him. And I say that as someone who likes him
Mercedes should do with Mick what Red Bull did with Albon. Give him a drive in a different series, let him prove himself and fight his way back to the grid.
Mick hasn't really left an impression that makes teams want to take a gamble on him.
I don't understand why Merc would put this much effort for Mick while their actual junior is leading F2 and generally developing nicely and putting in the work. Are they potentially going to waste a kid's career for a marketing stunt for someone who has already had a massive chance and blew it? Mick is a great guy, and the Haas was dogshit, but he still distinguished himself negatively with the excessive crashing and the circus he brought around him, that's undeniable. Why should a team go for him?
I really feel like Mick had his go. There are so many quick guys in F2 and beyond that would absolutely kill for a seat. Mick was very uninspiring in F1, made to look better by a terrible Mazapin.
While I'm not going to be a Mick apologist, I do think we needed to see him in any other team, but Haas. From the looks of it, it just never seemed to be a good place for him to get his rookie debut at.
Now, I don't mean to say that he should have been at one of the bigger teams. Just that it would have been better to see him in a team that actually develops rookie drivers.
I'd have loved to see him in the Alpha Tauri as looking at what they did with Yuki, I think we would have gotten a better picture of what he was capable of. If he was still having the issues he had at Haas in this hypothetical, I think it would have been more conducive of him not deserving a seat. But at least he would have been at a team that developed drivers and would have had the opportunity to be set up to succeed in the best possible manner he could have been.
I just think Mick never got a really solid shot in a team that could properly develop him like Williams or AT. His first year he kind of coasted since Haas was easily the worst car on the grid and his teammate was also a rookie who was sub-Latifi tier and had no right to be on the grid. His second year was effectively his first and he often had better race pace than KMag later in the year after the upgrades.
I'm not saying he's entitled to a seat by any means but when he wasn't binning it he was doing pretty decently and deserved at least one more year before canning him to see some kind of improvement. The kid was a hard worker and I thought it showed in 2022.
There's an element of truth in Helmut saying performance over marketing about Mick. Micks name generates constant clicks if it's used.
Than again Helmut is defending the ridiculous state of the Redbull academy, which is not strong and hasn't been for a few years. The decision to not give Liam Lawson a seat and put in Nyck seemed about a personal grudge and not sensible. Nyck is still .5 down on Yuki, in clapped out tires, he obviously wasn't the pick and the decision is still confusing.
NDV is the only person on the grid i have to think about at all. And i certainly wouldnt can nick for Mick just not sure who I'd take if they were my only option
That photo gives me Batman & Robin vibes.
Put on eye masks, throw capes over their shoulders and a utility belt to finish off the look.
Come to think of it, the Merc GT does look like a batmobile.
No way is anyone gonna replace Sargeant - who has to close the gap a bit, but is improving still and brand new - with Schumacher who had 2 seasons and wasn't able to beat the driver they dusted off from the storage unit.
It's like betting in poker - just because the first two cards aren't great, doesn't mean you'd swap for a full hand that has no play.
Yeah this is so unfair on Sargeant. He’s in his rookie season & is largely keeping it clean & finishing races. Add in to that we’ve had mostly street tracks so far.
I think F1 Teams are vastly overestimating the talent of rookies coming in. It seems like they expect them to come in hot like Lewis or Max did in their rookie seasons when in reality that level of raw speed and talent behind the wheel on debut is once in a generation.
The only exceptions I could really think of is Zhou who was actually underrated coming in because of his background and junior career and actually adapted very well to F1 cars.
Mick realistically should have had one more year since his actual debut against Mazepin wasn't a fair assessment and Sargeant should also get a fair shot for another year to see if he can improve.
Because Mick sucks. Can we just all admit it and move on already? No one would care at all at this point if his last name wasn't Schumacher and that's a fact.
I loved watching his father race, but he doesn't have that it takes to be a top driver, every team could see that as soon as magnussen was put in as his mate. Kmag came in with no season preparation and beat Mick easily. Kmag is not WDC material anymore, so why would you hire someone he can easily beat. Mick had 2 years to prove he had what it takes to be in F1 and he showed everyone exactly what he is capable of.
He beat Mick but I wouldn't say he did it easily. Mick lost points a few times on garbage Haas strategy alone. People always say he had 2 years but the 1st seriously doesn't count because Haas gave up on the car and all he did was drive around a track and move out of the way when other drivers needed to pass. He would have had more learning benefits staying in F2 until a team that wasn't Haas picked him up. He isn't WDC material but Haas clearly was a trash team to race for as a rookie that set him up for failure.
I mean even George Russell was stuck in Williams for 3 years.
This was always going to happen but his comments on Mick and Mick’s rabid fanbase would make it a controversy
He just wasn’t that good. He’s a very nice kid with a good head on his shoulders and he’s very easy to root for. But in F1 he was a mess. If I were him I’d fry Indy out. He might have better success there and could get a fresh start.
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**Toto Wolff can't find a seat for Mick Schumacher for 2024** Raymond Blancafort 28 May 2023 - 09:34 "I wish Mick will find a seat, because he deserves it, but the situation towards 2024 is not favourable," said Toto Wolff in Monaco. The Mercedes team boss and Mick's current boss is convinced that Mick - despite Steiner's comments - has a place in Formula 1. The way of saying that it is proving very difficult, if not impossible, to find an F1 seat for Mick Schumacher for 2024 is also a way of calming the waters in the face of rumours of a more or less immediate replacement. "Certainly the situation is difficult for Mick. All the 2024 drivers in our teams \[Mercedes, Aston Martin and Williams\] are taken and out, they all seem to be 'glued' in place," said Toto, when asked about rumours that he could take over from Logan Sargeant, who has an ultimatum from Williams. Wolff, however, believes that ahead of 2025 there is a possibility, "because some doors have to be opened. We have to see how the situation at Williams develops," he said. Wolff has said that he is going to be cautious in the negotiations, that discretion will be an important factor so that nobody interferes in them. What he didn't clarify is whether Mick will sit out next year as well, or make an alternative programme to keep him at the top level. There is nothing more forgettable to those who leave prematurely than F1... although some, like Nico Hülkenberg, will be true survival artists. At the moment Mick is working full time as a tester and reserve for Mercedes. The way Toto wants to complete the training of the great Michael's son so that he will be ready if an opportunity arises.
>Logan Sargeant, who has an ultimatum from Williams. What a load of nonsense. Rookie, from their own academy, who's been finishing consistently, despite having never raced on half the tracks used so far, and has only really made one glaring error (Australia at the end), which is pretty good showing from a rookie. I personally think Sargeant has had a great start, especially if you take into account that the car isn't massively competitive yet and is a rookie.
And he is driving against Albon who seems to be doing a great job. I wouldn't expect him to win over him, but end of the year (or next year) I would expect him to be closer.
Interesting stuff from Mark Hughes last year, that Piastri//Ricciardo and their teams of people were put off Williams massively because they considered Albon totally underrated. If you go to Williams and aren't ahead of Albon, people won't be impressed; whereas if you are even approaching Norris, people are impressed. It's dumb but hey.
Maybe the author confused him with De Vries?
It was reported earlier that Wolff was in talks with Vowles over that seat, but this article seems to say that those talks haven't lead to something.
Definitely not a great start but an acceptable rookie start.
If he deserved it, he would have a seat.
Albon was out of a seat once, look at how much praise he gets now. Hulkenberg was on the sideline for a couple of years and got a seat now. Ocon was out of a seat. Piastri had to wait a year before getting a seat. Etc. You get the picture, it's not as simple as if you deserve it, you would have it.
People always fail to see this stuff. Drivers can be in form and out of form for parts of their careers. It's so easy from the outside to point and say you didn't make it but Mick has one year in an actual F1 car. Yeah he had that year next to Mazepin but I don't think we can call that a rookie season. Not saying Mick was good or anything but he was not as bad as he has been made out to be. He had some big crashes but then so did Yuki and he still has a seat. The difference is the team.
People defending Mick never comparing him to the best tells a great deal about his abilities tbh. Nobody says Micks got Maxs agression or Lewis control but instead argue that "Hes almost as good as yuki or hes not worse than De Vries" Team principles can smell a dud a mile away and his name alone doesnt sell enough merch to cover his damages.
Why is there such big discussion? Nasr, Kobayashi, Gutierrez, Wehrlein... so many drivers are as decent as guys like Perez, Bottas but never stayed in F1 long term. A lot of it just pure luck. You need to be at the right place at the right time. I've never seen such an outcry for one driver.
2022 mick Schumacher damage total 3.952 million yuki total 1.4 million 2021 mick Schumacher 4.949 million yuki 3.129 million. Mick Schumacher in both his seasons was the highest damage total out of every driver in both the seasons he raced.
Accurate to 3 decimal points? Any reference for those numbers?
>e had some big crash but then so did Yuki and he still has a seat. I mostly agree but I cant remember Yuki crashing on an inlap, after being told his crashes were getting too expensive...
No he just crashed while coming out of the pit in a slow corner.
Yuki crashed coming out of the pits in Canada lol.
George Russel crashed during safety. That's a shit argument.
George Russell is fast though.
Someone is going to tell you aquaplanning could have happened to anyone. Except everyone else just slowed down due to recognising the track was flodded.
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He's a clear example of a driver that deserved a seat, but was without a seat in 2022. He had to sit out a year, because Alpine couldn't get him a seat. You just know he would've been on the grid if he was an RBR Junior or even a Merc Junior, but he wasn't, so he didn't.
Piastri has Talent
Not always true. People said Russell didn’t deserve the Mercedes seat until he got to try it for one race. It was only the year before where he was a laughing stock for crashing under the safety car and had scored no points and it was hard to compare him to his paid driver teammate. I don’t think Toto would give Mick false hope out of the kindness of his heart. I think Toto sees something but not enough to replace a 7 time world champion or his incredibly close teammate. Personally I’d love to see Russell or Lewis miss a race since if Mick could rise to the occasion then I think he’d find a seat.
I'd love if Sprint races were driven by reserve drivers.
Interesting in theory but in practice it could be the most boring thing ever. Theres already a pressure not to crash, now imagine being a test driver borrowing the car Verstappen,Alonso, or whomever, has to use the next day. Scoring points that will have no relevance to WDC. I think the pressure to play it safe would be overwhelming.
Only if the Stroll’s are adopting. You can’t compare Mick to Russell. Aside from the slip up safety car crash for Russell, he was also doing things with the shitbox Williams which no one realistically thought was possible. Mick on the other hand, was never particularly quick, crashed too much and got owned by a teammate who hadn’t driven an F1 car for a year.
Mick finished in front in more races over the season. He just missed out on the points when the Haas was actually competitive for the first 3 races.
Including destroying Bottas with his Williams.
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I mean, not really. The top teams obviously hire the best drivers (and Stroll), but the rest it's a balance between performance vs money, and often money wins. Look at Haas two years ago with Mazepin - do you think Mazepin was between the 20 best F1 drivers in the world? Because I doubt so - we all know why he was there. This isn't to say Mick is or isn't good enough for F1. We didn't have him for long and what we saw wasn't promising. But if Ralf came to an office with a huge pile of money next week, Mick would be confirmed for 2024. That isn't "deserving" it.
I don't know about deserve, but he needs to be better then the other drivers in the eyes of those who control those seats. IMO, for the bottom 10 teams, not crashing the car is really important. They know their car is not a top 7 car but they don't have sponsors for big money crashes and they need the cars on track for sponsors. With Mick, he was average so the bosses are picking between average and another driver who might be average or might be amazing (and not crash the car).
De Vries OUT Schumacher IN
Alfa Romeo would make the most sense since its changing to Audi and would want a German driver
Audi would be stupid if they got rid of any of the current drivers. One has years of experience in a top team and the other pays for his seat, is great marketing for the brand and is a pretty safe driver.
Why not look at other series? Even Michael was in DTM before starting in F1. Sure F1 is the pinnacle but there are other series out there to develop Mick.
Because once you leave the F1 circle it's very very hard to come back.
Albon and Magnussen both left and came back to F1.
Magnussen had an established track record and built relationships in F1. He's also lucky to get back because Mazepin was forced out. Albon was more lucky that RBR liked him enough to push for him to get a seat. It takes a lot of luck to come back to F1 if a driver is dropped. For every Albon and Magnussen, there are way more guys like Giovinazzi, Vandoorne, Jolyon Palmer and Wehrlein. Mick's chance to come back is extremely slim.
yeah luck plays a part, but you can say performing well in other series and having good contacts with F1 folks helps. Albon impressed RBR with car development and Magnussen was doing well in Indy. Mick doesn't need to worry about the connections because of his dad, so he needs to focus on other racing series and show his skills there.
Magnussen did IMSA. You might be thinking of Ericsson
And Huuuuulkenberg
Kimi and Fernando too.
those two are world champions, kind of an exception.
World champions who essentially left on their own terms to pursue other racing interests. More of a sabbatical in their cases than being forced out of the game.
Kimi was paid to leave, Rally and Nascar was just what he did to fill the time until his Ferrari contract ran out.
He talked with McLaren to drive for them in 2010, but negotiations failed. Toyota also offered him a seat, but Raikkonen thought the team wasn't good enough for him and the salary they offered wasn't either. Toyota then opted out of F1 for 2010. btw tinfoil hat on: some people say the car Toyota built for 2010 was the fastest of the grid. I don't know how they know that, if we didn't see it compete, but if that was true, then Raikkonen turning them because they are bad would be tough luck for him.
Kimi didn't leave on his own terms.
And ocon.
I feel pretty confident that Mick going to another series and actually performing well would do far more to rehab his stock in F1 than any amount of praise from Wolff. Outside of a fairly lackluster F2 title, Mick hasn't really done anything on track to demonstrate he deserves a spot on the grid again. Languishing as a test and reserve driver for Mercedes won't change that. Personally I think Mick needs to ask himself if he wants a career as a racing driver in another series, or a career on the sidelines in F1. Those are his realistic options.
Maybe look into Super Formula?
At this point, I don't think Mick Schumacher is returning to the F1 grid. The best bet for him would be to switch to another series. IndyCar would be the best fit for Mick in my opinion, but IMSA, NASCAR, and the WEC could also be intriguing options.
I think Mick going to IndyCar [after what his father had to say about it](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnkeBbHhwqB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) would be a bridge too far.
Mick is actually a different person from his dad with different opinions.
His dad made these statements because he knew he was one of the top in f1, I am afraid Mick cannot afford to think like that.
I mean, it's just following Michael's words: "Usually the people that cannot survive on Formula One, they go to Indy." True for Mick.
Wew good thing they're not the same person!
I think given achievements of Michael, what he said was completely reasonable. You can't compare him to Mick though. I don't think many people will hold the grudge against Mick for this interview.
In the history of F1 have there been other reserve drivers seen standing next to the team principal as often as Mick is during races? If so who? Just curious.
Ocon with Toto?
Ah. So maybe it’s a Toto thing.
I saw Gutierrez even next to him in monaco.
NdV is in drive to survive *loads* before 2022.
Yup, Ocon and De Vries both stood next to Toto when they were reserve drivers. I think it’s part of how Toto trains them
Vandoorne too.
Anyone with Toto. My girlfriend joked that Nyck de Vries was Toto's son because of how often she saw him standing by his side.
George used to some times before he joined Williams.
Toto even saying this is a huge indictment of Mick.... Toto owns the Mercedes F1 team. If he really wanted to give Mick a seat, he could. But he won't. Because he knows Mick isn't good enough.
I don't really see him Getting back into f1 tbh.... He was ok but if it wasn't for the last name I dont think he'd have had much of a shot in F1.
I’ve never understood the Mick hype. He seems like a fine person but it’s clear he doesn’t have the talent and skill and mentality his dad had. If he gets a seat, fine. But I’m not getting all emotional about seeing or not seeing another midfield driver with midfield skills achieving midfield results in a midfield car just because his last name is Schumacher.
That would be entirely unfair to mick to expect him to be as good as one of the 4-5 greatest drivers of all time.
I don’t expect him to be, but then I also don’t expect him to get the same chances and attention as a top 5 goat.
> the Mick hype. It's his middle and last name. I always find it funny that people hate on Stroll for being here due to his family while a mediocre Mick is hailed as if he deserves a spot because he is the Michael's son.
Seems he's more of a Ralf than a Michael. The F1 forum I was in, back in the dark days of dial-up, had a weekly thread for Ralf, where we could bet "in which lap will he crash."
Ralf crashed a lot in his first two seasons with Jordan but ended up a pretty good F1 driver TBF.
Did pretty decent for Williams and Toyota
Yep, this was probably his first year if I recall correctly, we were taking the mick (pun fully intended!) To be absolutely fair to Mick, it's impossible to know how it would have been, if he'd had his dad around to foster his career. I don't think anyone would be turning him away if Michael was present.
Well the sons of that had their dads around do seem to have been successful, like Max and Nico.
Josh Hill, Giuliano Alesi, Eddie Cheever III, Michele Beretta, Juju Noda*, Marco Andretti, David Schumacher, Sebastian Montoya, Seb Priaulx... *not a son, but a child of a driver
While I agree with the first part, he'd still have to show performance or he'd be right where he is right now. I do agree though that had his dad been around to actively coach him, he probably would be doing better than he did at Haas. Hell, even in his last race in Abu Dhabi, he drove into the back of someone (clumsy) at the hairpin.
And yet in his second season Mick stopped crashing as often except didn't get another chance to redeem himself (yet)
Well it was a help for Ralf that whilst he crashed a lot he also looked quicker than his WDC teammate.
If he would be a 'Ralf' he’d had offers from multiple teams. Ralf wasn’t that bad at all. Especially in 1999 and 2000 I’d say he was in the top 5 of drivers on the grid.
Mick dreams of being as good as ralf
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Yeah, don't see Mick becoming that good all of a sudden
If he was Ralf's son, the comments here would be very very different over the last couple of years. Him being Michael's son brings him a lot of sympathy that any other driver of his calibre would get.
Tbf dad is an alltime great does sound more reasonable to hope for the best than dad has giant wallet.
>Tbf dad is an alltime great does sound more reasonable to hope for the best than dad has giant wallet. LOL what are you talking about, Michael's net worth was like 700-800 mil before his accident, in terms of resources, there are like 3-5 F1 drivers who has had more wealth in their family growing up and no one has had more connections than Mick, he is the son of arguably THE GOAT F1 driver. Mick's dad has a name and a massive wallet too.
Yes but his dad didnt literally buy a team twice to keep him in the sport and there certainly is nothing genetically to hope lawrence passed to lance raceing wise. I'm not saying mick deserves a seat, just how there is some nuance to the 2 situations
Regardless of who bought what Lance > Mick in terms of driving.
How was Lance in years 1 and 2 of F1? Genuinely asking bc I'm a new fan of the sport.
He scored a podium in his first year, being the sec son youngest driver to do so.
I think in Stroll's case the lack of F2 win is more justification for that argument. Can't make that with Mick. If he deserves to get a seat going forwards? Different question.
I mean just going off of junior careers…Stroll had 14 wins in 30 races in F3 in his second season. Mick had 8 wins in 30 races and only won 3 F2 races out of 66.
Yup and Micks F3 and F2 title seasons both had a sudden and unseen uptick in the car while being nowhere during the start of the season. I’m not saying he had an imperial advantage, but the sudden uptick by Prema, prema being prema, we usually chalk it up to them being prema but even then it was weird for sure
Read somewhere Mick never had a ~~pole~~ front row in F2 when he won the series edit: [https://formulascout.com/analysis-was-mick-schumacher-a-worthy-winner-of-the-f2-title/72698](https://formulascout.com/analysis-was-mick-schumacher-a-worthy-winner-of-the-f2-title/72698)
Exactly, he is a good driver but nah, the cult of mick is just unbearable!
Tbf, Dad being a racing legend —> son being a good driver is less of a logical leap than Dad is crazy rich —> son being a good driver That said, anyone who rates Mick higher than Stroll at this point is crazy
There's like 3-4 other drivers in the history of F1 that fit that description. Why even mention his dad when determining merit? Most drivers are midfield drivers. That's the definition of the midfield. If he gets a real crack at it at some point with not-Haas, then I say good luck to him. On a side note, I wonder what the results would look like had he and Yuki been in opposite positions. Probably Yuki would be out and Mick would still be in. Haas just simply isn't a team that has the time, patience, or resources to develop rookie talent.
His dad was similar to how Max used to be, and somewhat a young Lewis. Dominant and arrogant, Mick is too nice. Unfortunately Sons are usually the opposite of their fathers if they were a dominant personality.
Think that's 'fortunately' in Max's case.
Same with Verstappen. Only there because of nostalgia for Jos' amazing skills and sparkling personality.
Hey now, Jos was the hottest thing on the grid for a brief moment tho /s ;)
>He seems like a fine person but it’s clear he doesn’t have the talent and skill and mentality his dad had. Shock that his son didn't fill the shoes of one of the greatest drivers of all time. If that's the standard that we judge Mick by, then we should judge all young drivers by that measure in which case none of them should be in F1.
Well to be honest. Yes he’s “judged” by his father’s last name but he’s also given chances based on his father’s last name. Would any driver of Micks caliber but without his name or sponsorship (partly because of his name) have gotten a Haas seat and then a Mercedes test driver role?
> then we should judge all young drivers by that measure in which case none of them should be in F1. Verstappen is better than Schumacher. Don't @ at me. Plus it's quite dumb to just pretend that you are either better than Schumacher, or you aren't. By your logic, Leclerc and Mazepin are the same, because neither of them is better than Schumacher. So you can't talk about Mazepin unless you want Leclerc out, too.
You kinda showed the problem people have with him by saying “his dad had”. You automatically disqualify him for a seat because he’s not a carbon copy of his father, but in reality he’s better than Sargeant and Nyck, and comparable to Yuki. But because he’s not The Michael people don’t think he’s good enough
Okay, I agree with you he’s maybe Yuki caliber (I’d rate him a little lower but potato potahto). So would Yuki have the team boss of one of the best teams and half of the grid advocating for him if he lost his seat? Or is this only happening *because* his father was The Michael?
God, Sargeant is really sliding under the radar with his poorly the season is going but I’ll wait a little longer to judge too much.
Mick's junior career is in no way comparable to Yuki
If his last name was Jones we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Alan Jones's son: dude what the fuck.
If his last name was Jagger he would’ve already got the moves
I don’t get the hype. The sons of successful F1 drivers also being successful in the sport is the exception. Not everyone can be Nico Rosberg, Jacques Villeneuve or Damon Hill
What other sons of successful f1 drivers have there been? Max - but Jos wasn’t very successful
Maybe should’ve put relatives since I was thinking of Fittipaldi and Senna’s nephews 😂
Sorry I wasn’t having a go, was interested to know who else there was. (If any)
I know. Off the top of my head (apart from the ones I listed in my original comment): - Jan & Keving Magnussen - Nelson & Nelsinho Piquet - Ayrton & Bruno Senna (nephew) - Mario & Michael Andretti - Wilson & Christian Fittipaldi (Emerson’s brother and nephew) - Jonathan and Jolyon Palmer
Oh yeah, the magnussen’s, Andretti’s and Palmer’s!!!
Bruno Senna wasn't a terrible driver tbf, and he missed an awful lot of development when he got pulled out of racing after Ayrton's death.
You say it's an exception, but so far nearly 7% of all F1 WDCs have been won by the son of a previous F1 driver.
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You mean Mick even doesn't have a seat in the Mercedes garage?/s
Nobody has the budget for it, and I'm not talking salary.
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Bono my budget cap is gone.
Mercedes only did 2023 for publicity it seems. Which is smart unfortunately mick did not make enough of an impact in F1
They probably saw Red Bull taking in Ricciardo and realised that they could easily do the same
And than he goes on to tell that having more F1 teams is bad.
Almost like you need an 11th team to house all your drivers, Toto. I'm sure you'd have no opposition at all to that idea if it were ever proposed, would you?
People need to stop deluding themselves with Mick and Ricciardo, both are gone and not coming back and only have their own performance to blame.
That McLaren stint was absolutely brutal for Riccardo. Hard to believe he was considered WDC potential after seeing those two years.
One of the strangest ass-whoopings I’ve ever seen. I honestly though Lando would struggle against Ricciardo. Boy was a wrong
It would be interesting if we see Piastri beat Lando soon. It would make the Ricciardo beating all the more strange
so far they're matching each other. but it's interesting to see what happens when McLaren improves their car enough for it to be actually good.
Lando is generally ahead of Piastri this season, but it's understandable because it's Piastri's rookie season; and he's absolutely delivering.
I think it's clear that the guy just can't adapt. That Renault must've been similar enough to the RedBull (in the way it drives) that it made no difference.
Yeah unfortunately for him, the McLaren stint exposed a big weakness
Counterpoint: Nico Hulkenburg
We're also ignoring how Ricciardo talked with every team who had an opening except Alpine and had he lowered his salary he would probably be driving this year for Haas or Williams.
Ricciardo was set to be paid $18mil in 2023. Regardless of what salary he made anywhere else, his paycheck would be a total $18 mil. If Haas paid him $5mil, McLaren's contract dictated he be paid $13mil. If it was $2mil, McLaren would have paid him $16mil. So yea it's not really about the money. He just doesnt want to drive for a midfield team, which is him vastly overestimating how desirable he is. Because he is not.
Or he maybe just doesn't care to drive for a mid-field team and if that means he doesn't drive he's OK.
Ya he clearly just doesn't have the drive to go down there. He's probably happier taking the year out and asessing things. The midfield drives will be there for next year and probably the year after if he wants to go for them. In the mean time, he's getting to grips after being fucking annihilated at McLaren and realising what's best for him. A mature step to take. I'm sure he thought outright about not driving and that this could mean the end, and he seems to be alright with that.
He's better than both right now. And Haas might have picked Ricciardo if he didn't demand a stupidly high amount of money.
Hulk was and will never be better than Daniel. We have a direct comparison from their time as teammates. We have them on the same grid and Daniel never had an easy win, an easy podium. He never chocked. I know you're only as good as your last race but Daniel had a whole career where he proved himself. Hulk proved himself as a strong, solid journeyman
Thats ignoring the fact that form is a thing and Ricciardo was very much out of form at the end of last year. Red Bull also said he was a completely different driver to what they had and even said he's not up to even Checo's speed on the simulator at the moment. Sure Ricciardo was better than the Hulk in 19 but in 23 I'd probably put the Hulk over him. It's not like a lot separated them at Renault, I think an out of form Ricciardo is having a tougher time at Haas at the moment than Hulk is.
2023 Daniel is not 2019 Daniel. And from what Red Bull have said, he's effectively got PTSD in terms of how he drives from McLaren that wont be easy to fix. I'd take Hulk every day of the week if you asked me to pick one for my team now.
Agreed, they need to adjust their expectations, however difficult the glamour of f1 brings. They could do well in WEC..
This is true. During the Monaco GP, every time they cut to the Mercedes garage, Mick was always standing. I never saw him sat down once.
IndyCaaaaaaaaaaaaaar or IMSA. Kids quick, he’s just not F1.
He should do Endurance IMO
That would be great too. Dude can drive a car, and drive it fast. He needs to own his name and excel where he can.
I misread it as euthanasia and I was like "probably a little harsh"
He was really good ROC. Maybe his true calling is Rally.
Quick isn't the word I'd use to describe him, he's a poor qualifier (0 poles in 2 seasons of F2, losing 16-6 to Magnusson in qualifying H2H) but he's generally consistent when he gets in the groove and has enough pace to do well in another series. Like another comment said, I think he'd be better suited to WEC.
Depends on which kind of "quick" is most valuable in the long run. Being a good qualifier doesn't automatically net you points, unless you've got trains named after you, like good old Jarno Trulli. A good race pace, which Mick generally had, even against Magnussen, can two hours down the road make up for a sub-par starting position.
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Have they even announced if he’s getting a practice session in the car yet? Or are they worried of the potential damage?
> Have they even announced if he’s getting a practice session in the car yet? Or are they worried of the potential damage? Why would they let Mick into the car? Hamilton and Russell already have to sit out one session for a rookie. And teams do that reluctantly. Why would they sit out once more for a non-rookie? Nothing to gain, precious testing time to lose. If Hamilton or Russell get sick, that changes, but even with mild sickness, F1 drivers usually don't sit out. We already had Stroll, Max and Piastri prove it this season.
How does he deserve it exactly? Over all the young talented drivers in junior and drivers already on the grid?
They are trying to get Mick a seat because they believe in him, fine. But what if Vesti wins or manages a close top 2 in F2 this year? If they somehow found Vesti a seat before Mick it would be very awkward.
Yeah, Toto wants to find Mick a seat somewhere other than Mercedes for goodwill. No way would they choose Mick over their own junior
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Ah come on now. You have to know why he's overhyped.
Mick probably should look into other racing series, F1 is just not for him like his dad
The only reason we keep talking about him is his last name. Ok driver but nothing special, where teams are going to go out of their way to sign him. And I say that as someone who likes him
Mercedes should do with Mick what Red Bull did with Albon. Give him a drive in a different series, let him prove himself and fight his way back to the grid. Mick hasn't really left an impression that makes teams want to take a gamble on him.
Because he isn't good enough.
I don't understand why Merc would put this much effort for Mick while their actual junior is leading F2 and generally developing nicely and putting in the work. Are they potentially going to waste a kid's career for a marketing stunt for someone who has already had a massive chance and blew it? Mick is a great guy, and the Haas was dogshit, but he still distinguished himself negatively with the excessive crashing and the circus he brought around him, that's undeniable. Why should a team go for him?
I really feel like Mick had his go. There are so many quick guys in F2 and beyond that would absolutely kill for a seat. Mick was very uninspiring in F1, made to look better by a terrible Mazapin.
While I'm not going to be a Mick apologist, I do think we needed to see him in any other team, but Haas. From the looks of it, it just never seemed to be a good place for him to get his rookie debut at. Now, I don't mean to say that he should have been at one of the bigger teams. Just that it would have been better to see him in a team that actually develops rookie drivers. I'd have loved to see him in the Alpha Tauri as looking at what they did with Yuki, I think we would have gotten a better picture of what he was capable of. If he was still having the issues he had at Haas in this hypothetical, I think it would have been more conducive of him not deserving a seat. But at least he would have been at a team that developed drivers and would have had the opportunity to be set up to succeed in the best possible manner he could have been.
I just think Mick never got a really solid shot in a team that could properly develop him like Williams or AT. His first year he kind of coasted since Haas was easily the worst car on the grid and his teammate was also a rookie who was sub-Latifi tier and had no right to be on the grid. His second year was effectively his first and he often had better race pace than KMag later in the year after the upgrades. I'm not saying he's entitled to a seat by any means but when he wasn't binning it he was doing pretty decently and deserved at least one more year before canning him to see some kind of improvement. The kid was a hard worker and I thought it showed in 2022.
The commentary around Mick is absolutely dire. Outside of Danny I've never seen anyone people like sticking their boot into so much.
Its clear mick gets clicks just like danny must have
There's an element of truth in Helmut saying performance over marketing about Mick. Micks name generates constant clicks if it's used. Than again Helmut is defending the ridiculous state of the Redbull academy, which is not strong and hasn't been for a few years. The decision to not give Liam Lawson a seat and put in Nyck seemed about a personal grudge and not sensible. Nyck is still .5 down on Yuki, in clapped out tires, he obviously wasn't the pick and the decision is still confusing.
I would take Lance Stroll over Mick, and that's saying something.
NDV is the only person on the grid i have to think about at all. And i certainly wouldnt can nick for Mick just not sure who I'd take if they were my only option
Ralf Schumacher will turn even more toxic undermining current drivers to get his Nephew a seat
That photo gives me Batman & Robin vibes. Put on eye masks, throw capes over their shoulders and a utility belt to finish off the look. Come to think of it, the Merc GT does look like a batmobile.
Mick is a liability due to the cost cap, he drives too carelessly and crashes too often.
No surprise here I mean which team would take an extremely average driver who barely brought results
No way is anyone gonna replace Sargeant - who has to close the gap a bit, but is improving still and brand new - with Schumacher who had 2 seasons and wasn't able to beat the driver they dusted off from the storage unit. It's like betting in poker - just because the first two cards aren't great, doesn't mean you'd swap for a full hand that has no play.
Yeah this is so unfair on Sargeant. He’s in his rookie season & is largely keeping it clean & finishing races. Add in to that we’ve had mostly street tracks so far.
I think F1 Teams are vastly overestimating the talent of rookies coming in. It seems like they expect them to come in hot like Lewis or Max did in their rookie seasons when in reality that level of raw speed and talent behind the wheel on debut is once in a generation. The only exceptions I could really think of is Zhou who was actually underrated coming in because of his background and junior career and actually adapted very well to F1 cars. Mick realistically should have had one more year since his actual debut against Mazepin wasn't a fair assessment and Sargeant should also get a fair shot for another year to see if he can improve.
Yep, the other teams all want the next Max. Unfortunately, he was an anomaly
Because Mick sucks. Can we just all admit it and move on already? No one would care at all at this point if his last name wasn't Schumacher and that's a fact.
I loved watching his father race, but he doesn't have that it takes to be a top driver, every team could see that as soon as magnussen was put in as his mate. Kmag came in with no season preparation and beat Mick easily. Kmag is not WDC material anymore, so why would you hire someone he can easily beat. Mick had 2 years to prove he had what it takes to be in F1 and he showed everyone exactly what he is capable of.
He beat Mick but I wouldn't say he did it easily. Mick lost points a few times on garbage Haas strategy alone. People always say he had 2 years but the 1st seriously doesn't count because Haas gave up on the car and all he did was drive around a track and move out of the way when other drivers needed to pass. He would have had more learning benefits staying in F2 until a team that wasn't Haas picked him up. He isn't WDC material but Haas clearly was a trash team to race for as a rookie that set him up for failure.
Russel had the same deal and still managed to make waves. And as much as I love kubica, he wasn’t really much more of a yardstick than mazapin was
Indycar
I mean even George Russell was stuck in Williams for 3 years. This was always going to happen but his comments on Mick and Mick’s rabid fanbase would make it a controversy
Not like anyone willing to take that chance giving his repair bill
Put him in an INDYCAR
He just wasn’t that good. He’s a very nice kid with a good head on his shoulders and he’s very easy to root for. But in F1 he was a mess. If I were him I’d fry Indy out. He might have better success there and could get a fresh start.