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Why Schumacher should hope Haas shows him the door

Why Schumacher should hope Haas shows him the door

02-11-2022 20:56
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GPblog.com

Before the Brazilian Grand Prix, Haas is likely to announce who will get the last free seat in Formula 1 for 2023. If the omens are not deceiving, Nico Hulkenberg appears to be in it. For Mick Schumacher - who team management says is still in the race for the seat - this would mark the end of his turbulent time at Haas. And he may be very happy about that.

Sometimes 1 + 1 is 2. How else to explain the fact that Aston Martin announced on Tuesday that it has contracted Stoffel Vandoorne as a reserve and test driver. He will join the English team alongside F2 champion Felipe Drugovich. With this, Aston Martin seems to be saying goodbye to Nico Hulkenberg, who currently holds the reserve role. Chances are that Aston Martin already knows that the German will join Haas full-time.

Exit

One German would then replace another. After two very intense years at Haas, Mick Schumacher seems to be on his way out. Looking back, one may conclude that it did not turn out to be what was expected beforehand. Of course, Schumacher is not the super talent his father Michael was. A lousy driver he is by no means. He is just unlucky: Schumacher drives a Haas.

In its first season, the Haas was more like a Fred Flintstone car: an old-fashioned, undeveloped concept that could barely move forward. Good luck with it, as a rookie. This year the Haas was slightly better, but it was by no means a top car. Mainly thanks to his experience, teammate Kevin Magnussen managed to surprise regularly at the beginning of the season. Schumacher struggled more with the car, and only later in the season did he feel more at home in the car.

Little budget

This season too, Haas was not developing further. This can be explained in part by the lack of pennies. While Formula 1 is 'booming' all over the world and therefore sponsors are queuing up, they tend to ignore the smallest team on the grid. This season, Haas failed to bring in enough money to maximise its budget cap. The team is quite well below it.

With the new main sponsor Moneygram, there is bound to be more financial room. Still, the damage is probably done for the next few years: the gap with teams like Aston Martin or Alfa Romeo (Sauber becoming Audi ) is not going to narrow overnight. Certainly not if the other teams either have more financial backing or are factory teams. For Haas, there is hardly anything to compete with that.

Love

Moreover, Schumacher has never had the real love of the team management. Günther Steiner is a remarkable figure in the paddock, but he also has a knack of burning his driver to the ground (rightly or wrongly). Not good for Schumacher's reputation and future.

The chances of Schumacher excelling in a Haas next season are slim. Field filler, that's the team during most Grands Prix. That Nico Hulkenberg would still like to drive one season for it at the end of his career is all too understandable. He has nothing left to win or lose. But as a young driver, you have to ask yourself what you gain from being a filler. Do you necessarily want to keep that seat because you so desperately want to drive in Formula 1? Or do you take a critical look at your situation and maybe there are better options?

Potential

If Schumacher is honest, taking a step back is the best thing to do now. Better if he could try to get a test and reserve role with Mercedes (also German) or Red Bull Racing, or join Audi already. These are all deals with long-term potential. At 23, Schumacher junior still has a whole racing career ahead of him. Another year of hobbling along with a Haas will do him more harm than anything positive.

Hopefully, for Mick, he will get good news from Haas soon.