Mick Schumacher and Nico Hulkenberg will compete for the remaining Haas seat in Formula 1. Formula 1’s silly season is nearly coming to its conclusion. 9 of the 10 teams have confirmed their driver lineups for the 2023 season. Williams confirmed Logan Sergeant as the driver who will drive alongside Alex Albon in the 2023 season. His inclusion is still not officially confirmed yet. Logan Sergeant needs enough points for an F1 super license to compete in the sport. He is on course to achieve the required super license points. The picture will be clear after the final Formula 2 race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Guenther Steiner is open to the idea of replacing Schumacher
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner reportedly said there is a 50-50 chance that Mick Schumacher would remain with the team for next season. He has also indicated that the team would not go in the direction of signing a rookie driver. The team wants an experienced driving pair who would provide critical feedback on improving the car and moving Haas closer to the front of the grid. Talking to a reporter, Steiner said: “For me, it’s no longer about one race, one lap. For me, it’s about what’s best for the Haas team in the medium to long term. It’s about who leads the team stably into the future”.
Schumacher’s expensive crashes proved to be his undoing in F1
Mick Schumacher came into the sport with many expectations hanging on his head. Being the son of 7 times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher brought massive expectations from him. Also, he was the Formula 2 champion of the 2020 season and had the backing of the Ferrari team. However, Schumacher couldn’t perform consistently in the two seasons he competed. His driving stock fell massively after Kevin Magnussen’s return to the Haas team. Magnussen performed admirably after his return to the American team, and Schumacher caused headaches on different occasions for the Haas team. Guenther Steiner and Gene Haas were not impressed by his ability to pile up massive repair bills for the team after crashing his car on several occasions.
Nico Hulkenberg will compete with Mick Schumacher for Haas seat
Schumacher’s rumored replacement is the veteran F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg has driven 181 races in Formula 1, which makes him a very experienced driver. He lost his race seat at Renault back in 2020 and, since then, remained in F1 as a reserve driver for Racing Point and Aston Martin. During those years as a reserve driver Hulkenberg has substituted as a race driver for five races. Three for Racing Point and Two for Aston Martin. After the announcement of Stoffel Vandoorne as a reserve driver for Aston Martin, the door has opened for Hulkenberg to leave the team and join Haas. While fans would certainly not want to see Schumacher being shown the exit by Haas, his chances for remaining in F1 indeed hang by a thread.