Brundle: 'Haas was finished with the Schumacher entourage'

There is a good chance that Mick Schumacher will soon be appointed Mercedes' test and reserve driver. This will keep the young German's prospects of a place in Formula 1, after his adventure at Haas came to an end after two seasons.

After months of uncertainty, Schumacher heard from team boss Gunther Steiner in Abu Dhabi that Haas had contracted Nico Hulkenberg. In Hulkenberg, the team has an experienced man, who has shown in the past to structurally pick up points. Hulkenberg is also anything but a driver that makes damage, while Schumacher regularly caused major damage to his car.

Both issues prompted Haas to thus choose Hulkenberg. According to Martin Brundle, analyst at Sky Sports, there is another reason not to continue with Michael Schumacher's son: his entourage. "I think Haas was just fed up with the environment of Mick Schumacher and all the outside pressure," Brundle told Autobild. By this, he is referring to Ralf Schumacher, who did not miss an opportunity on the German version of Sky Sports to criticise Haas over the treatment of his nephew.

Indeed, there has reportedly been a crisis atmosphere between Schumacher's manager and the Haas team management for some time. Still, Brundle can also understand the choice now being made for an experienced man like Hulkenberg. "At Haas they are betting on experience and self-assurance rather than youth, because that path did not work for them."