Mick Schumacher came into F1 trying to emerge out of his father’s shadow. A difficult Haas car in 2021 meant that season counted for nought. In 2022, Kevin Magnussen outperformed him. His frequent crashes didn’t help a Haas team struggling for cash. As a result, he lost his race seat. With the seat at Williams being filled by Logan Sargeant, he had no choice but to accept a reserve driver role for Mercedes.
A Crash-prone Season
Mick Schumacher knew 2021 would be a test season, rather than a proper rookie season. An underdeveloped Haas car gave him no chance of fighting anyone. In 2022 however, Haas started with a great car and Kevin Magnussen made the most of it.
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On the other hand, Mick Schumacher crashed multiple times trying to prove himself. A small team like Haas barely makes it to the F1 budget cap. Therefore, such frequent crashes made him a liability for Gunther Steiner and he was let go.
Hope for 2024
Mercedes and Toto Wolff took him under their wings. However, the seat at Williams vacated by Nicholas Latifi was quickly filled up by Logan Sargeant, a Williams Academy driver. Mick Schumacher is currently the designated test and reserve driver for Mercedes.
Logan’s Underperformance
Logan Sargeant made it into Q3 for the first time this season at Zandvoort. However, he crashed out in Q3. During the race, he crashed again. However, James Vowles attributed this to a hydraulics issue. Alex Albon has scored all of Williams’ points in 2023. The young American is under some serious pressure to deliver in a Williams car that is actually decent in 2023.
James Vowles Backs Logan
Unlike the Red Bull camp which ends careers on a whim, James Vowles is keen on developing a secure culture. He openly backed Logan Sargeant after the Dutch GP and said he was happy to see his progress. Much to Mick Schumacher and other drivers’ dismay, James Vowles said there are no talks for Logan’s seat.
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The Haas seats have already been locked down. With this statement by James Vowles, it is clear the Williams seat is out of the question as well. This leaves just the Alpha Tauri and Alfa Romeo seats for any rookie or ousted driver. Mick Schumacher will be keen to be back in F1 in 2024. But will he be able to? Keep following us to find out.