Guenther Steiner admitted that having Daniel Ricciardo replace Mick Schumacher could be a fruitful decision for Haas.
After going through a horrendous 2021 season where they went point-less, Haas have made big strides this campaign. They replaced Nikita Mazepin with the returning Kevin Magnussen and the Dane has performed spectacularly.
One problem they faced at the beginning of the year was Mick Schumacher’s form. The young German driver impressed in his rookie season but was just not able to live up to expectations this time. It was in Silverstone where he finished in the points for the first time ever in his F1 career and followed it up with another similar result in Spielberg.
Guess who’s back… @HaasF1Team @F1 pic.twitter.com/ybaRZbpMmj
— Mick Schumacher (@SchumacherMick) August 23, 2022
In spite of the resurgence in form, Haas team principal is not a fan of the 23-year-old’s consistency. He believes that Schumacher is a great driver, but does not know when he is going to be at his best.
Lately, there have been several rumors that have linked him to other teams whereas other drivers have been linked to Haas.
Steiner to assess situation between Mick Schumacher and Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo meanwhile, has had a disastrous year at McLaren. His performances were deemed so bad that the team will let go of him at the end of this campaign. As a result, the Aussie remains without a seat for 2023.
In spite of Ricciardo’s poor performances lately, he is one of the most marketable drivers available. He’s also an eight time race winner, so his racing accolades speak for themselves. Haas may benefit if they do end up landing Ricciardo, but that is only possible if Schumacher goes elsewhere.
Steiner was blunt with his assessment of both Schumacher and Ricciardo ahead of the Belgian GP this weekend. In an interview with Auto Bild, Steiner shared his thoughts on Haas’ 2023 line-up.
Daniel Ricciardo was asked by @RachelBrookesTV if Guenther Steiner gave him a call about 2023.
His response: “Maybe”.
— F24 (@Formula24hrs) August 26, 2022
“Do we take a risk with a new driver like Daniel Ricciardo who has had a difficult time at McLaren, or do we stick with what we know?” Steiner said. “And who says Mick is going, anyway? That’s what the media says, not me. I say everything is open.”
“Hulkenberg would be a risk, Ricciardo would be a risk. Everyone is a risk except Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen. At the moment it is my job to think about who is better, and that’s not easy. Ricciardo could be better if he gets back to his old form.”
