Rumor: Haas calls off Schumacher contract talks, wants Ricciardo or Giovinazzi (4th Update)
(GMM) A cloud is continuing to hang over Mick Schumacher’s future in Formula 1.
Although the German has upped his game at recent grands prix, Haas boss Gunther Steiner admits that Kevin Magnussen’s teammate for 2023 “hasn’t been decided yet”.
“We are considering what is best for the development of the team,” he told Speed Week. “Do we only look at the technology or also the driving element?
“To be honest, we don’t know if Mick will stay or not. He delivered very good races in Canada, England and Austria, but he lacks the consistency to perform well.
“We’re in no hurry on the driver issue and Mick still has chances to show what he can do,” Steiner added.
Perhaps even more worryingly for the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher is that the 23-year-old appears to have even lost the backing of Ferrari’s driver academy.
“It was another unfortunate weekend for Mick,” Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto told Sky Italia when asked about Schumacher’s future after the Italian GP. “So it’s difficult to judge his performance after this weekend.
“We still have a few races and then we’ll sit down with Haas and hopefully find the best decision for him and his future.”
According to the German press, Nico Hulkenberg has emerged as the surprise front-runner to emerge from his F1 sabbatical to form a very experienced driver lineup for Haas next year.
When asked about the 35-year-old German, Steiner answered at Monza: “I’ve talked to most of the potential drivers, which is my job.
“There’s nothing concrete yet, but we only want to take the smallest risks for the development of the team. You can take a big risk which is great when it works, but it’s bad when it doesn’t.”
The implication of that is that Haas is looking for an experienced and technically-minded teammate for Dane Magnussen.
“That’s right, but there are none of those who are currently on the market,” said Steiner. “Except maybe Daniel (Ricciardo), but his form isn’t great at the moment, and we don’t know what he’s going to do.
“Maybe he’ll sit out a year. As I said, I talk to everyone.”
August 31, 2022
(GMM) It is premature to report that Mick Schumacher is leaving Ferrari’s driver development ‘academy’.
That is the view of Felix Gorner, a correspondent for the German broadcaster RTL, after a specialist auto racing publication said Schumacher’s entire F1 career is now in the air following the Ferrari split.
Gorner says the only fact that he is aware of is that the existing Schumacher-Ferrari contract runs out at the end of the year.
“He has been part of this program since 2019,” he said. “Now he has to make a new decision with Ferrari – do we continue?
“But no decision has been made yet.”
RTL claims that the 23-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher will sit down for negotiations with Ferrari either during or after the forthcoming Monza race weekend.
Another German publication, Sport1, said the Haas driver’s manager Sabine Kehm is yet to respond to a request for comment.
But some now see his future as outside of the Ferrari-powered orbit. Former driver Timo Glock thinks a move to Williams for 2023 is possible for Schumacher.
“Mick has to take the option he gets,” he told Sky Deutschland.
“Williams has shown many times that they are a team that can train young drivers well to then take the next step. So I think it would be a good move for him.”
Others think the relationship between Schumacher and Haas boss Gunther Steiner has been damaged by their recent verbal exchanges via the media.
“In a case like this, it always takes two to tango,” said former F1 driver Christian Danner. “The taunting also came from the driver as well as the team.
“I said at the beginning of the season that Mick needs to make peace, joy and pancakes with Haas this year because it will be the only car he can get next year.
“As much as Mick would like to drive for McLaren, McLaren doesn’t need a young driver unless he is as extraordinary as Piastri, Verstappen or Leclerc.
“So I hope that Mick Schumacher can stay with Haas, otherwise it will be difficult for him.”
August 30, 2022
Mick Schumacher’s original Ferrari Driver Academy contract will come to what one Autosport source called a ‘natural end’ after this season.
Although there has been no confirmation from Haas, it’s accepted in the paddock that Schumacher won’t be retained by the US-owned team for a third season in 2023
Schumacher has no future with Ferrari, or any of its ‘B’ teams – Sauber and Haas. He will become a free agent, but there is no guarantee he will have a ride in F1 next year.
No wonder he did not look happy at Spa this past weekend. If he ends up without a ride, he can join his mentor, Sebastian Vettel, and hunt new trees to hug each day.
August 23, 2022
Antonio Giovinazzi, who raced at Alfa Romeo for three seasons, seems like the most obvious candidate to replace Schumacher if Haas wanted to go in a different direction.
Daniel Ricciardo has reportedly also been contacted by Haas over his availability for the 2023 season.
Ricciardo received the message from Haas team principal Guenther Steiner at the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix on July 31 ahead of the summer break, ESPN report.
Ricciardo is expected to leave McLaren after this season with a seat back at Alpine his #1 choice.
August 5, 2022
(GMM) Haas has called off all contract talks with Mick Schumacher for the duration of the August break, according to German broadcasters RTL and ntv.
Boss Gunther Steiner had flagged F1’s calendar break as the right time to consider the small American team’s driver lineup for 2023, with Kevin Magnussen already under contract.
But according to the German reports, Haas has now “suspended contract talks” with the 23-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher.
“Team boss Gunther Steiner is therefore no longer in a hurry to negotiate an extended agreement with the driver,” RTL announced, speculating that the latest moves in the ‘silly season’ have diminished Schumacher’s alternatives.
“It means Haas can now rely on the time factor, knowing full well that the team is currently the only way for the German to secure his place in Formula 1.”
Schumacher’s situation is worsened by the latest rumblings about his place in Ferrari’s driver academy, amid reports Mattia Binotto is “no longer convinced” about the German’s potential.
One last option for Mick could be leaving the Ferrari orbit to join another F1 development program – such as Mercedes’ or even Red Bull’s.
“He has improved compared to last year,” Red Bull’s top Austrian official Dr Helmut Marko told Osterreich newspaper.
“But he was always in the Ferrari program, so I never had him on my radar.”