“We value Mick very much”: Toto Wolff gives out the biggest hint on Mercedes taking up Mick Schumacher as a reserve driver
At the very start of the upcoming F1 2023 season’s drivers’ market drama, it was announced that Sebastian Vettel would be leaving Formula 1 at the end of this season. This set off a chain reaction as Fernando Alonso rushed to sign with AMR for Vettel’s seat, Pierre Gasly took up the seat at Alpine that Alonso had left in his wake, and AlphaTauri decided to go for F1 newbie Nyck de Vries to fill Gasly’s vacant seat. But amidst all this, Mick Schumacher‘s future at Haas has remained uncertain as his contract is going to end this year.
Now that almost all the seats in the F1 teams are taken for next year, Haas is the only one that has not yet announced its final lineup for next year’s campaign. While Mick Schumacher debuted with the team last year alongside Nikita Mazepin, his time in the American outfit is coming to an end and he has not yet been retained for the next year. This has made several questions pop up about whether Haas even want to continue with Schumacher, given his lack of plausible results, or if the team wants to go for some other drivers, such as Nico Hulkenberg.
At such a moment as this, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has spoken up to show quite some interest in Mick Schumacher. This might give the impression that the Stuttgart-based outfit wants to sign the Schumacher youngster as their reserve driver for F1 2023.
Toto Wolff admits he is unsure of Haas’ impending decision about Mick Schumacher
Several opinions have come up in the Formula 1 community about Mick Schumacher continuing to participate in the league as a regular racer. The German has not been able to give his team any top 5 finishes as of yet, while his teammate Kevin Magnussen has wowed everyone with his skills behind the wheel after getting reappointed by Haas following Nikita Mazepin‘s dismissal. Many fans believe Mick will lose his regular racing seat at Haas for next year, but will land the reserve driver role at Mercedes.
Speaking on the possibilities of Mick Schumacher becoming Mercedes’ reserve driver, Toto Wolff said to RTL, “I make no secret of the fact that the Schumacher family belongs to Mercedes and that we value Mick very much.” But he also addressed the possibility of Haas retaining Mick. He said, “I don’t know what the status is with Mick and Haas.”
Thus, things are still quite uncertain about the 2023 drivers’ market, even though the current season is almost on its last leg as there is only one race remaining. And Haas is supposed to make the announcement regarding their line-up for next year any day now. And if Mick fails to secure a seat at the American team, then it seems like the doors are open for him for a reserve role at Mercedes.
Riddhi Mondal
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