“I think he deserves a spot on the grid,” Kevin Magnussen believes ‘there is a way back’ to F1 for Mick Schumacher

“I think he deserves a spot on the grid,” Kevin Magnussen believes ‘there is a way back’ to F1 for Mick Schumacher

Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher

Haas confirmed on Thursday that they will be parting ways with Mick Schumacher. As team principal Guenther Steiner said, the young German was only informed of the decision on Wednesday, with replacement Nico Hulkenberg signing the contract on the same day. He is out of an F1 seat for 2023, and as of yet, there are no reserve driver (or other) deals in place (and have been made public).

Steiner had stated that it was a ‘combination of things’ that led to their decision, and they felt they would have an easier time in their climb back up the grid when aided by the experience of Hulkenberg. However, he did admit that Schumacher had improved a lot during the season, and as per Motorsport.com, Kevin Magnussen also feels that his 23-year-old teammate did a ‘good job’.

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When asked for his thoughts on the team’s driver decision, Magnussen said: “It’s a double-sided thing, right? On one hand, it’s exciting getting someone like Nico 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.”

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The Dane added that it’s ‘possible’ to make it back to F1, citing that he himself has done it twice, once in 2016 (with Renault), and once in 2022 (with Haas): “I think he’s done a good job this year, I like him as a person as well. 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. I hope he can keep fighting and try to make it back on the grid.”

Also Read: “He had the spoon ready today,” Guenther Steiner thinks Kevin Magnussen and Haas’ maiden pole was ‘well-deserved’

Kevin Magnussen’s advice to Mick Schumacher

Haas drivers Mick Schumacher(on the left) and Kevin Magnussen(on the right)
Haas drivers Mick Schumacher (on the left) and Kevin Magnussen (on the right)

Kevin Magnussen has been in his (current) teammate, Mick Schumacher’s position twice before. Following his debut season for McLaren in 2014, the Dane was demoted to reserve driver and replaced by Fernando Alonso for 2015. He made his comeback to the grid in 2016, with Renault, then moved to Haas for the 2017 season. In 2021, he was out of a seat, but the stars aligned for him in 2022.

Needless to say, he surely knows how Schumacher feels right now, and thinks that his saying ‘keep at it’ to Schumacher carries some weight, adding: “I’ve come back twice to the sport. I’ve shown that nobody knows what is going to happen; you can never say never in the sport. So you need to hang in there. I like Mick and I think he deserves a spot on the grid. All I can say is, I hope the best for him and I believe that there is a way back to F1 for him.”

Mick Schumacher’s future hangs in the balance, but Toto Wolff had said to RTL that they ‘value him very much’, and that the Schumacher name ‘belongs to Mercedes’. A reserve driver spot at Mercedes is at least a possibility, but there’s another chance for him to remain on the grid: If Logan Sargeant fails to get the super license this weekend, Williams will need replacements, and Schumacher is F1 proven.

Also Read: “I still can’t believe it,” Kevin Magnussen in “utter shock” after majestic P1 outing during Brazil qualifying

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