Mick Schumacher's name is 'both a curse and a blessing', feels Haas team boss Guenther Steiner
Haas boss Guenther Steiner claims that Mick Schumacher's surname is both a curse and a blessing due to the outside influence the name brings.
The German driver was dropped by the American team after two seasons in the sport and will serve as a third driver with Mercedes in the 2023 F1 season.
Mick Schumacher fans seeing the 2023 Haas #F1 twitter.com/HaasF1Team/sta… https://t.co/SQLnUFzIFK
Mick Schumacher failed to impress in his two-year stint with Haas, having been regularly outperformed by his teammate Kevin Magnussen this year. As a result, the German driver lost his F1 seat and will take on the role of a third driver at Mercedes in 2023.
Many in the F1 community believe Steiner's move was the wrong one, claiming that the young driver has a lot of potential. Steiner, meanwhile, believes that only people within the Haas team should have the right to 'vote' on whom the team chooses to go with as their driver and should not worry about outside voices.
Despite the criticism thrown his way, Steiner believes the team's decision to go with Hulkenberg is the right one given his vast experience in the sport. Speaking to AMuS, Steiner said:
“The surname Schumacher is both a curse and a blessing. That’s well known. People all believe they have the right to vote. I think only people who are part of the team or who own the team have the right to vote. Because if you don’t contribute, financially or otherwise, but just have an opinion, then you don’t have any risk."
Former F1 driver Timo Glock lauds Mick Schumacher's calmness in face of Haas axing
mick schumacher we are SO proud of you https://t.co/A5szFzMZTy
Former German F1 driver Timo Glock believes Mick Schumacher's calmness in the face of being fired by Haas shows his 'size and class'. The young German, who was not offered a contract renewal, showed great class and composure despite knowing his time in the sport was limited.
Glock claims Schumacher's composure and calmness in dire times are admirable and are a sign of the value system he possesses. He told Sky Germany:
“Something so calm at the age of 23 and not working against the team shows the size and class that he already has at such a young age. I wish he can take a step next year, even if only as a test driver, possibly at Mercedes. Develop in such a way that he comes back in 2024 and can then show everyone what he’s made of.”
Working alongside Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at Mercedes will give Mick Schumacher valuable insight into what it is like to function in a top team. It could prepare him for potential future title challenges.
However, given Formula 1's uncertainty, it is unclear whether the former F2 champion will ever find his way into a full-time role at a team in the future.