Mick Schumacher targets Q2 appearance with Haas
Haas F1 driver Mick Schumacher is one of three rookies to enter Formula 1 in 2021. The Formula 2 graduate joined the American team alongside Nikita Mazepin. Despite driving the slowest on the grid, Mick Schumacher remains optimistic about the season. The young German's goal is to make a Q2 appearance with Haas this year.
“We will be working on ourselves. I will be working on myself a lot. I see the motivation in the team, and I see no reason why we shouldn’t be optimistic that throughout the season, we can be even hopefully at some point be able to go into Q2s.”
Mick Schumacher will focus on gaining experience
Despite not making it out of Q1 in Bahrain, Mick Schumacher says that the team is not disappointed with the result. The German was happy with his clean lap and exceeded the team's expectations in terms of lap time.
"We shouldn't say it was disappointing in any way. I think we managed it pretty well. We had one clean lap. That's what we wanted. We managed to be close to what we imagined in terms of pace."
Mick Schumacher has historically started off debut seasons slowly. In Formula 2, the German's first season was forgettable. However, he turned up his performances the following year, and won the championship in the feeder series.
Schumacher wants to replicate this in Formula 1. Haas are expected to have a long and grueling season. The team has admitted to freezing development on their current car. Haas have shifted their focus to the 2022 regulations, and rightly so.
Schumacher is under no pressure to perform this year. He will spend the season gaining experience:
“For me, it’s about gaining that experience and then hopefully throughout be able to change that into a, well, consistent pattern of improvement from one session to the other.”
Schumacher and Haas are ready for an uncompetitive season. The team has dedicated its resources for 2022, as the German rookie looks to gain a foothold in Formula 1. With two young drivers and a massive financial boost from their new sponsors, Haas have reasons to be optimistic about the future.