Mick Schumacher is a test driver for Mercedes this Formula 1 season. Image: www.imago-images.de / imago images
formula 1
After two years in the midst of the global hustle and bustle of Formula 1, Mick Schumacher should now experience a more relaxed season. Although the 23-year-old has made it his goal to be present at each of the 23 races, he will not be spending much time on the track.
Because after two years as a regular driver with the US team Haas, he is only a test and reserve driver for Mercedes this season.
Ex-Formula 1 driver Pascal Wehrlein, who himself was a test driver at Mercedes, has already explained that Schumacher will have a lot of work to do in the racing team’s simulator. But the son of racing legend Michael Schumacher still has one big goal in mind: “I believe that if I’m in the right car at the right time, I’m capable of becoming world champion,” he announced.
It is questionable whether it would have been the case this year. But at least there was the chance to start as a regular driver for a team. A Formula 1 team boss has now revealed this and also directly named the reason why it didn’t work.
Ferrari prevents Schumacher from switching to the competition
“I would actually have liked to have had Mick in the car. I’m convinced that Mick is talented and that he also has what it takes to drive successfully in Formula 1.”, revealed Franz Tost, team boss at the Alpha Tauri racing team in an interview with RTL. For the Austrian, who has headed the team since 2006, Schumacher was a serious issue.
Alpha Tauri started under the name Toro Rosso until 2020. Then Red Bull’s junior team was named after their in-house fashion brand. In what was then the Toro Rosso, Sebastian Vettel also celebrated his first race victory, among other things.
Franz Tost is team boss at Alpha Tauri.Image: www.imago-images.de / imago images
And therein lies the problem that Schumacher could not change. Tost does not want to name the exact circumstances, but makes it clear that there were “other circumstances” and “political reasons”.
Because Schumacher was part of the Ferrari Drivers Academy until the end of last season. They encouraged him and made sure he got his place in the Haas in 2021. For a change to the competition in the large Red Bull camp, it would have required the approval of the Italian racing team.
Formula 1 team boss sees Mercedes as a good chance for Schumacher
However, the experienced team boss does not see the fact that Mick only plays a subordinate role at Mercedes as a major problem. “Because it’s a very, very good team, one of the best in Formula 1, so of course he can learn a lot.”
There were also the options that he could be on the track in Friday practice instead of Lewis Hamilton or George Russell.
He could use his time with the Silver Arrows to gain self-confidence and improve his technical understanding so that he can eventually return to the starting grid.
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