Finding himself out of an F1 seat in the 2023 season, Mick Schumacher signed a reserve driver role with the Mercedes F1 team. Lewis Hamilton is looking to work forward with the German driver but he has also clarified his role in the team.
After 2 years of experience driving F1 cars, a third driver role is certainly not Schumacher’s ideal scenario. Nevertheless, working with top drivers like Hamilton and George Russell will gain him important experience and will benefit his F1 career.
However, in an interview, the 7-time world champion described Schumacher’s role in the team as it has changed over the past years and does not see himself working that closely with the young German.
Hamilton emphasised that the on-track drivers don’t work that closely with the reserve drivers anymore. The third drivers are more into the simulator work and it is not how it used to be, although, Hamilton is glad that he will still be teammates with Schumacher.
Mick Schumacher spricht über seinen Wechsel zu Mercedes! Der 23-Jährige ist ab kommender Saison Ersatzfahrer bei dem Team rund um Lewis Hamilton und George Russell. Wird diese Rolle ihn zurück in ein festes F1-Cockpit bringen?🤔🏎️#formel1 pic.twitter.com/jNToTjn0QL
— Sky Sport Formel 1 (@skysportformel1) December 22, 2022
Lewis Hamilton has not started talking about contract yet
At 37 years of age, Hamilton is the second oldest driver on the grid next to Fernando Alonso. Therefore, talks of him taking leave from the sport have been circling around the paddock.
With the Silver Arrows signing Schumacher as their third driver, it is possible that the team is preparing another racer to replace their star whenever he decides to quit.
Be that as it may, Hamilton has been unobtrusive on that matter. The only clarity about his future in F1 is that he has not started contract extension talks beyond 2023 with the team yet. He revealed that there has not been enough time to discuss this.
The 7-time world champion wants to retire as champion
With the Mercedes star’s contract expiring in the 2023 season, he has been asked about his plans for retirement.
Quite honestly, Hamilton has revealed that he does find himself thinking about calling quits on racing and doing “other things.” But the feeling comes rushing down to him that “other things” can wait and “there is definitely more” that he wants to achieve as an F1 driver.
The 37-year-old clarified that obviously it is not going to be a hugely long time now but he will still stick around. “Quitting as a world champion is, I think, a dream that every athlete has – and so do I,” he added.
Also Read: When Michael Schumacher emotionally recalled his first Title win in 1994
