"You don’t just go into Formula 1 and drive at the front" - Former F1 driver says a move to Ferrari by Mick Schumacher 'would be too early’
Gerhard Berger believes it would be a premature move for Mick Schumacher to switch to Ferrari anytime soon. The former F1 driver believes that beating Kevin Magnussen this season will play the key in judging the German’s skillset.
Speaking to Sky Germany about Schumacher’s prospects at the Prancing Horse, Berger said:
“First of all, I think [a move to Ferrari] would be too early for Mick [Schumacher]. I think Mick just has to make his way now, and he has to show this year that he can also compete against his teammate and that he is ahead of him. Therefore, he has a huge task ahead of him.”
Mick Schumacher's crash could cost Haas $1 million according to team boss Guenther Steiner 💰
Full story: es.pn/3iHlbG1 https://t.co/S957tD4RsZ
Insisting that it would be too early to evaluate the 23-year-old and his abilities in the top team, Berger suggested that Schumacher needed to beat his teammate at Haas first to prove his worth.
Gerhard Berger believes Mick Schumacher’s prospects at Ferrari can be discussed a few years down the line
The former Ferrari driver feels the junior German driver is not ready for a top team yet. As of the moment, all the points scored for the Haas team have come courtesy of Kevin Magnussen. Meanwhile, Mick Schumacher is yet to score a point and has been seen to be prone to making several errors on the track that cost him positions.
Gerhard Berger believes if the Haas driver proves he’s worthy of a drive at the Scuderia in another two or three years, then it's worth discussing. Analyzing Schmacher’s prospects at the Maranello team, Berger said:
“I also don’t think Mick [Schumacher] thinks, how can I go to Ferrari now? No, now you have to perform at Haas, now you have to beat your teammate. Then you automatically go to the next level again. You don’t just go into Formula 1 and drive at the front, it takes time, and you have to give the boys that. In two or three years, if he performs, you can say now would be a good time, and then you can have this discussion. Now would be wrong.”
An unfortunate spin in the opening corner wrecked @SchumacherMick's hopes for points today in Imola 🇮🇹
#HaasF1 #ImolaGP https://t.co/m3HZ0iCfmM
Apart from the Austrian's verdict, Schumacher’s uncle Ralf has also been critical of the driver's performance at Imola, where he spun at the start. Getting beaten by a teammate who hasn’t driven an F1 car since 2020 is a difficult position to be in, and beating Magnussen might not be as easy as beating his former teammate Nikita Mazepin. Hence, it is critically important that the junior Haas driver performs well, or it will be very easy for him to get written off as a talent in the sport.