Team owner Gene Haas explains how Mick Schumacher can already secure his cockpit for 2023 in Austin and why he is not happy with him so far
“Mick’s future will be decided by Mick”: this is how Gene Haas, owner of the Formula One team of the same name, commented on Mick Schumacher’s chances of competing for the Haas team again in 2023 at NASCAR in Las Vegas last weekend.
The son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher was criticised by Haas, especially in the first third of the 2022 season, when he had several crashes and even had to miss Sunday’s race due to an accident during qualifying in Saudi Arabia.
Producing such accidents so frequently is “just too expensive” and costs “millions of dollars”, Haas criticised to ‘The Associated Press’. He added: “I think Mick has a lot of potential, but he costs us a fortune and he wrecked a lot of cars. That’s cost us a lot of money that we just don’t have. “
It doesn’t sound like Schumacher is Haas’ number one choice to remain Kevin Magnussen’s teammate next year (contractually set until the end of 2023). But the American motorsport maker insists: “If Mick wants to stay, he has to show us he can score a few more points. That’s what we’re waiting for. “
Magnussen: As long without points as Schumacher
Magnussen scored 15 points in the first four races of the season, whereas Schumacher went empty-handed in the first nine races. After that, however, he finished eighth at Silverstone and sixth at Spielberg. And in the past seven races, neither Haas driver has scored.
But although the car’s performance has obviously dropped off compared to the start of the season, Haas remains merciless in his assessment: “If you bring us a few points, if you’re Verstappen and crash a car now and then, then we’ll put up with that. But if you’re chasing and crashing cars, then it’s going to be very difficult. “
When asked specifically whether Schumacher can recommend himself for a contract extension on his own merits with strong performances in the last four races of the season, Haas replies with a wink: “If he wins the next race, he’s in. Everything in between is grey area.”
In addition to the 23-year-old German, Nico Hülkenberg and Ferrari squad driver Antonio Giovinazzi are also considered contenders for the cockpit alongside Magnussen at Haas. Schumacher, meanwhile, is also considered a candidate at Williams, where only one car, Alexander Albon, has so far been filled for the coming season.
