"He first has to beat his team-mate" - AlphaTauri boss feels Mick Schumacher needs three years before thinking about Ferrari promotion
Mick Schumacher, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, is currently in his second year in the sport, racing for Haas alongside Kevin Magnussen. The German has been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2019 and is expected to be driving for the Prancing Horse very soon. AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost, however, thinks that the young driver needs at least another three years' experience racing in F1 before even considering moving up to Ferrari as a full-time driver.
Comparing Schumacher's journey to that of George Russell and Charles Leclerc, who also took their time before joining the major teams, Tost told F1-Insider.com:
“He [Mick Schumacher] has to drive somewhere else for another three years. A driver needs at least three years of learning to drive at the top level. A George Russell or a Charles Leclerc also needed that time. Formula 1 is extremely complicated today.”
Mick Schumacher will miss the Saudi Arabian GP after a huge accident in qualifying.
That Mick is physically well after the crash is another reminder of the strength and safety of modern F1 cars for which we are incredibly thankful
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Proclaiming that the Haas driver should first focus on beating his team-mate, rather than looking to prove himself elsewhere, Tost said:
“He first has to beat his team-mate Kevin Magnussen consistently at Haas and try to achieve success with Haas. That’s his job now and nothing else. Mick has proved how capable he is of learning through his successes in Formula 3 and Formula 2, each of which he won in his second season. In Formula 1 today, that’s one of the most important things.”
Mick Schumacher is yet to score his first F1 championship point while his teammate Kevin Magnussen currently stands ninth in the drivers' standings with twelve points to his name.
F1 commentator claims Mick Schumacher should learn from Niki Lauda and Nico Rosberg
Former motorsports racing driver and F1 commentator Marc Surer said that Mick Schumacher should learn from Niki Lauda and Nico Rosberg. The Swiss argued that the two are clear examples of drivers who do not necessarily have the inherent speed of a Lewis Hamilton, for example, and have yet to manage to beat their highly talented team-mates.
Surer said:
“You don’t have to be a high flyer to be successful. Niki Lauda and Nico Rosberg are good examples.”
Mick stars P15 tomorrow but long-run pace in Friday practice gives him optimism 🇦🇺
#HaasF1 #AusGP https://t.co/dM7T8hxmux
Emphasizing the significance of striking a balance between his inherent talent, speed, and analytical skills, Surer added, saying:
“Mick [Schumacher] has to be aware of his analytical skills and follow the path of [Niki] Lauda and [Nico] Rosberg. That way, he can recommend himself to Ferrari in the next few years. Natural talent alone is not enough either - the example of Jean Alesi shows that. He was considered a highflyer when he came to Formula 1 but in the end he could only win one race in his career.”
Mick Schumacher will now be looking forward to the GP at Imola next week to score his maiden F1 points.