F1: Schumacher not ready for top team

(GMM) Mick Schumacher is not ready for a move into a top Formula 1 team, according to 2016 world champion and fellow German Nico Rosberg.

Schumacher, the 23-year-old son of Rosberg’s former Mercedes teammate and F1 legend Michael Schumacher, had a torrid start to the 2022 season.

But he upped his game significantly with two consecutive points finishes at Silverstone and Austria – the first of his F1 career.

“Mick had a difficult few weeks, and we are all happy that he has now made a nice breakthrough,” Rosberg told German-language Eurosport.

“When I open the newspapers these days, I don’t read any criticism of him at all. The way things change so quickly is the craziest thing about our sport.

“He only needed one race and a cool duel with Verstappen and everything is forgotten again,” he added.

“Psychologically, that’s incredibly valuable for him because he’s now finding a positive mental spiral that he will carry with him to the next races.”

However, while Schumacher’s chances of a new Haas deal appear to have risen, boss Gunther Steiner says he won’t consider it until the summer break.

And Rosberg pushed back at the idea that Schumacher is even ready for a move up the grid.

“I don’t see it that way,” he said. “He still needs time in his development. The past races have shown that.

“He should take his time before targeting a top team,” Rosberg added.

“We saw that with George Russell, who drove for Williams for three years and was then ready to move up to Mercedes. There is no need to rush things.”