Mick Schumacher was tight-lipped but positive on his future after he was replaced by Nico Hulkenberg, and said he wanted to prove everyone who doubted him wrong including Haas.
Though there’s almost no hope of securing a 2023 F1 seat, Schumacher won’t be short of options either in other series or as an F1 reserve driver, and he said he would be evaluating his options following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“I just want to put myself into a position I know is right for me,” Schumacher told the press in Abu Dhabi.
“Whether that’s as a reserve, if that’s driving, that’s to be discussed and to be analysed. I have the people that I trust around me who I’ll be consulting with and then yeah, I’ll hopefully come out with some news soon.
“I definitely want to stick around [in F1] and I have time now so I’ll see all the options and then hopefully take the right one that will bring me to a bright future.”
Schumacher commented on social media after the news broke, and signed off ‘PTW’, meaning prove them wrong.
It was a tough decision for Haas, as the 2020 F2 champion came into F1 as the most high-profile junior driver ever due to his father, seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, and his success in feeder series.
“It’s pretty much what I’ve been saying most of this year,” Mick added.
“I felt like saying that because I think I want to prove everybody wrong who doesn’t believe in me, because I know what I can do. I’ve proven that in the junior categories, I don’t see a reason why I can’t do that in Formula 1 either.”
Unfair dismissal?
Schumacher‘s improved through the season, but it’s been blighted by crashes after he also hit the wall in Saudi Arabia at the end of 2021.
He couldn’t take part in the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix because of damage to the car sustained in a huge shunt in qualifying, and then split his car in two in Monaco two months later.
The final nail in his coffin may have been another crash in Japan, but by then rumours were already swirling about Hulkenberg replacing him.
“It’s disappointing in some ways,” Schumacher said reflecting on Haas‘ decision.
“I feel like I’ve been doing a good job up to this point, on the other hand the team decided to go that way so I have to respect that. I’m focused on the future now.
“We’ve had our ups and downs for sure but I think that the trend was always pointing upwards and I think that that’s what’s important, and it’s only my second year in Formula One.
“It was definitely something I had to get used to being, in the midfield pack fighting and I feel that, across the year, we’ve managed to do that and I feel like I’ve extracted the maximum out of each situation so I feel that the trend was there.”
Mick should not have gone to Haas. The car in his first season was behind in technology compared to the other cars on the grid. It was undriveable!! Haas didn’t have the money when Mick crashed the cars so why didn’t Haas support him more. Help him to understand the car better give him more practice behind the wheel.
Now Haas was so late in confirming their line up for 2023 it’s left Mick without a seat.That is disgraceful. This is no way to run a team. Gunther Steiner needs to take a good look at himself. Magnussen and Hulkenburg better watch their backs.
Mick has been let down by those who should have been watching out for him. Prove them wrong Mick. Don’t give up.
Take a leaf out of your Father’s book he is still fighting and he will not give up.