Kevin Magnussen advises Mick Schumacher: Never say never
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen feels that Mick Schumacher should believe he deserves to be on the Formula 1 grid and expressed his fondness for him as a teammate. The Dane also urged the German to keep training and work hard to get back onto the grid.
Speaking to on-site media in Abu Dhabi, Kevin Magnussen said:
"It's a double-sided thing. On one hand, it's exciting, getting someone like Nico [Hulkenberg] in with all his experience and capabilities. And on the other hand, I feel bad for Mick because I know how that feels, and I've been in that situation myself."
The 30-year-old continued:
"I think Mick has done a good job this year, and I like him as a person as well. I think it's easy to feel bad for him. F1 is tough, but it's also possible to make it back. I've done that twice, and I hope he can keep fighting and try to make it back."
Having returned twice to the sport himself, Kevin Magnussen empathized with Mick Schumacher on losing his seat at Haas. The Dane claimed that while on the one hand he is looking forward to getting to know Nico Hulkenberg as his new teammate, on the other he feels sad losing his younger teammate who he has grown to like. Magnussen reckons that although F1 is brutal, Mick could return to the sport if he continues to persist.
Kevin Magnussen tips off Mick Schumacher to remain positive about his future
Suggesting that Mick Schumacher should keep training and remain positive about his future, Kevin Magnussen feels that the German deserves a spot on the F1 grid. The Haas driver believes Mick Schumacher will return to the sport someday and believes his own example is evidence that a return is possible.
Advising Mick Schumacher to remain optimistic about his future, Magnussen said:
"Keep training, keep positive, stay close to whatever team he’s going to be involved with. I'm quite positive we'll see him back on the grid. I certainly know what it's like in his position right now, but I also feel like when I'm saying, 'Keep at it', that it also has some weight."
The Dane further said:
"I've come back twice to the sport, I've shown that you can never say never in this sport, and there's really a reason to hang in there. I like Mick and I think he deserves a spot on the grid, and I believe that there is a way back to F1 for him."
Although Mick Schumacher was able to score his first career points in the 2022 season, his shunts and crashes over the last two years made Haas drop him from their lineup for 2023. The German scored 12 points and was 16th in the championship overall, but a series of inconsistent performances made his team prefer more experienced talent over him, such as Hulkenberg.
When Haas replaced Nikita Mazepin with Kevin Magnussen, the team made it clear that they were not interested in hiring rookies anymore and planned to hire experienced drivers in the future instead.