Netflix’s Drive to Survive just seems to get better and better as they continue to deliver top content from the previous F1 seasons. One of the key individuals that were in focus in the 2022 season was Mick Schumacher.
The German had a difficult campaign, as he only scored points in two races the entire season. Netflix has done an outstanding job of showcasing the 23-year-old’s struggles in season 5 of Drive to Survive.
They also explain how his relationship with team principal Guenther Steiner turned sour due to his consistent underperformance. In one of the episodes, Steiner also seemed to lose his cool and did not mince his words in slamming Mick after the 23-year-old crashed.
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Guenther Steiner loses his temper after Mick Schumacher crashes
Episode 4 of Drive to Survive season 5, ‘Like Father, Like Son‘ navigates through Mick Schumacher’s struggles and the continuous comparisons that are made between him and his father, Michael.
The episode displays Haas’ continuous critical assessment of Mick’s start in Formula 1, which reached a boiling point on one occasion. After Mick crashes at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner does not hold back in slamming the 23-year-old.
Steiner immediately called Haas owner Gene and told him, “****ing hell. We gave him (Mick) a year to learn. What does he do in the second race? He ****ing destroys the car just because the other one (Kevin Magnussen) is faster.
The 57-year-old then also informs Gene about the damages to the car. The Italian tells the Haas owner that the car is in bad condition and would cost the team somewhere between half a million and a million.
In another episode clip, Steiner explained the reasons behind his anger. He stated that while the most important thing after a crash is to ensure the safety of the driver, he added that it is not only about the racer.
Steiner explained that a car has several parts and is extremely ‘difficult to get it all together’ after a big crash. Netflix then interviewed Mick, and he gave his side of the story. The 23-year-old said that as a driver, he was trying his best to go on the limit. However, he did admit that it was perhaps not the best side to do so at a track like Saudi.
Haas eventually decided to part ways with Mick Schumacher
Since Mick Schumacher continued to crash in subsequent races, the Drive to Survive season 5 episode progressed to Guenther Steiner conversing with Kevin Magnussen about the 23-year-old’s future in the team.
While Magnussen was of the opinion that Mick could regroup, Steiner had doubts. The Haas team principal told Magnussen, “As soon as he tries to have more, he f****** crashes, you know.”
After Mick crashed at the Monaco Grand Prix, the subsequent call between Steiner and Gene Haas may have suggested that the writing was on the wall for the German driver. Gene referred to Mick’s performances as a “dead man walking.” Steiner replied, “If he doesn’t pull his trousers up, he will be soon.”
While the Netflix episode did focus on Mick’s struggles, for the most part, it did end on a positive note. The 23-year-old was seen scoring his first points in F1 at the British Grand Prix, a result that delighted the entire team, including Steiner.
Although Mick followed this result with another eight points at the Austrian Grand Prix a week later, it was not enough to keep his seat. Haas decided to replace the young German with veteran Nico Hülkenberg for the 2023 season.
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