formula 1
Mick Schumacher’s self-promotion on a personal restart
On our own behalf: Mick Schumacher is promoting contracts with improved performance. Photo: Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press/AP/dpa/archive image
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The little stray into the Mercedes pits was Mick Schumacher’s only lapse in Canada. The restart was successful – even if he didn’t finish. There was also praise from Ferrari.
On the plane, Mick Schumacher didn’t have to worry about seven-figure accident costs this time.
The confidence in better times this year outweighed the frustration of once again missing out on the first Formula 1 points when leaving Canada. And there was plenty of praise, even if Schumacher didn’t finish with his Haas again.
“He has improved,” said Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto about the 23-year-old pupil of the Scuderia young forge: “Now he just has to stay in focus and concentrate, build more experience and self-confidence.”
Schumacher is fighting for a contract
Because it’s about Schumacher’s future. His contract with Ferrari partner Haas ends after this season. What’s next for the son of record world champion Michael Schumacher? Much is currently open, the self-promotion in Montréal came at the right time. “It was an important liberation,” emphasized Uncle Ralf Schumacher. The Sky expert added: “There was a bit of unrest before, for whatever reason. One does not know.”
With his serious accidents in Saudi Arabia and Monaco, the pressure on the former Formula 3 and Formula 2 champion had increased. In his title years in the junior classes, he turned up the heat in the second year. In Formula 1, Mick Schumacher’s rise in the second year stuttered.
The crash costs burden the account of the already clammy American racing team. Team boss Günther Steiner already feared that the team would be “split from the outside”, which was not good for Mick Schumacher.
The performance is right – defect stops him
Time for a change of mood, Mick Schumacher had announced a restart for Canada. And he kept his word, at least as far as his own performance was concerned. Sixth in qualifying, better than ever in extremely difficult conditions on a wet track. And even in the race in sunshine, he had good prospects in the first half of the field – until a drive defect stopped Schumacher after less than a third of the race distance.
“We showed that we have what it takes to get in the points,” he said afterwards. “I think today would have been the time, but then on another day.”
Montreal as a reboot?
Despite the anger about the end, the overall appearance of the record world champion son had the effect of brightening the mood. Big eyes, big smile. It didn’t matter that he got lost in the Mercedes pits at some point over the weekend. There, the bosses looked a bit puzzled when Mick Schumacher was looking for the right exit.
Team boss Toto Wolff had recently indicated in an RTL interview that he could imagine Schumacher in a silver arrow at some point. “Why not?” he had replied. They are happy with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell and also have some good juniors who are developing. “But Mick, with or without a name Schumacher, with the strengths I mentioned earlier, is someone who will always be on our radar.” Especially if he continues like he did when he restarted in Montréal.