2023-09-28 05:55:00
Actually, Mick Schumacher should have good cards in the fight for the last cockpit for the 2024 Formula 1 season at Williams. But he didn’t. Despite the Mercedes bonus, his chances of returning to the premier class are slim. Is Schumacher just not good enough?
Toto Wolff likes Mick Schumacher. The Mercedes motorsport boss doesn’t just say that. You see that, you notice that too. And because that’s the case, and Schumacher works tirelessly in the Silver Arrows simulator, Wolff is doing what he can to enable the 24-year-old to return to the Formula 1 driver field.
The only opportunity for Schumacher to drive in the premier motorsport class again in 2024 is with Williams. The German should actually have good shares in the traditional British racing team.
First up is Logan Sargeant. The American is currently doing everything he can to get himself out of Formula 1. With poor regularity, Sargeant sinks his Williams car into the walls. His mistakes cost the racing team millions, money that is missing from the budget. Sargeant reminds us a little of Schumacher, who himself caused too many costly accidents at Haas last year. At the end of the season, the US team had enough of him and brought Nico Hülkenberg back. Now it is Schumacher who wants to profit from someone else’s mistakes.
The son of F1 icon Michael Schumacher has a powerful backing with Mercedes and Wolff. The German-British factory team supplies Williams with the engines: Point 1. Wolff holds shares in the Williams team: Point 2. And Wolff has a close relationship with Williams team boss James Vowles, who was head of the silver strategy department for many years: Point 3.
In courting his replacement driver, Wolff is said to have even sent Schumacher’s data from the simulator to the Williams people around Vowles. As the “F1 Insider” reports, Vowles declined after studying the key figures. According to information from sport.de This is not true, Williams has not yet definitely decided against Schumacher. However, his chances of winning the coveted cockpit are “anything but great,” as Formula 1 expert Christian Danner puts it.
Formula 1: Schumacher missed making a statement
One question arises: Is Mick Schumacher simply too slow and too unattractive for Formula 1? Already in the preseason, when his departure from Haas became apparent, it was noticeable that Schumacher played practically no role in the team bosses’ Silly Season considerations – with the exception of Franz Tost.
sport.de asked around to some team bosses: Schumacher was not an option for anyone. It was said again and again that its data was not convincing.
“A racing driver is not just made up of data. But in the two years that he drove in Formula 1, Mick left an impression on the team bosses: ‘Well, we don’t actually need him,'” says Danner, summing up the Mick dilemma – and gives a counterexample.
“A Liam Lawson is now also driving a pretty bad car, the AlphaTauri. What did he do? He came out of the affair absolutely sparkling clean, was faster than the regular driver, scored points and showed in his first few Grands Prix: ‘ Hey guys, I can do it!'” the expert praises the 21-year-old New Zealander. Lawson has replaced the injured Daniel Ricciardo with the Red Bull junior team since the Dutch GP at the end of August.
Schumacher was not able to make exactly such a statement during his time in Formula 1, complains Danner. “And of course that has long-term consequences. There is no team boss who would have much confidence in him now.” Williams head Vowles included. With the team from Groves you can ultimately say: “What Sargeant shows is what Mick showed,” says the former Formula 1 driver.
F1 expert: “Optimal solution” for Williams does not mean Schumacher
After the Japanese GP, Vowles also let Sky know that Williams was willing to continue to “invest” in Sargeant. The Brit was reminiscent of Alex Albon, who Red Bull once discarded and who is now showing brilliant performances at Williams. At the same time, Vowles made no secret of the fact that he doesn’t have much of his patience left. “If we ultimately realize that our path ends here, then that’s it.”
No question: Sargeant is wobbling a lot – but Schumacher is not the logical, obvious successor. And of course he’s not the only driver aiming for the US boy’s place.
Aston Martin substitute Felipe Drugovich has recently been brought into play in several media outlets as a serious Williams candidate. It is said that the 23-year-old Brazilian brings talent and a considerable sponsorship package with him. Danner is skeptical: “He was nothing like Mick, namely a Formula 2 champion, but I don’t know whether he will knock people off their feet like that. Whether he really has that much money – I think there will be a lot written without there being much behind it.”
From Danner’s point of view, the “optimal solution” for Williams is Red Bull Junior Lawson. “As long as Sergio Perez isn’t fired from Red Bull, Lawson will be free next year. Then he’ll drive for Williams for a year and then go to Red Bull,” Danner paints a sobering scenario from Schumacher’s point of view. The industry leader and Williams could easily agree on a loan deal.
Mick Schumacher is already working on plan “B”
For Schumacher that would mean: his F1 chance also depends on how Sergio Perez performs at Red Bull until the end of the season. If the Mexican catches on with Suzuka after his recent “underground” performance, “then he’ll drive there too next year,” predicts Danner. However, if Perez goes on further errands like in Japan, “you almost have to fire him,” said the long-time RTL commentator.
If Red Bull actually puts Perez out the door, veteran Daniel Ricciardo would be the logical choice for the hot seat next to Dominator Verstappen – assuming the Australian impresses in the remaining races after recovering from an injury in the AlphaTauri. If there really was this “jolt in the system” (Danner) at Red Bull, AlphaTauri would make Lawson a regular driver without hesitation. Schumacher would then have at least one less Williams rival.
Perez or Lawson – Schumacher’s chances of a third Formula 1 season are poor, the dream of the premier class seems to be a long way off. Schumacher and his manager Sabine Kehm know this and are working on a “Plan B”.
The 24-year-old is supposed to work at Alpine, complete Formula 1 tests for the French (alongside Mercedes) and drive in the endurance championship. At least he could meet his friend Sebastian Vettel there. The four-time F1 champion is toying with a start in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Vettel has ticked off Formula 1 for now. Mick Schumacher not yet. Still.
Martin Armbruster
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