Mick Schumacher’s contract renewal talks with the Haas F1 team are currently on hold according to team boss Guenther Steiner.
Mick Schumacher joined F1’s grid in 2021 with Haas after signing a 2-year deal. The driver joined the team due to Haas’s close relationship with Ferrari.
Schumacher is currently a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. His contract with the American F1 team is coming to an end at the end of the 2022 season. And the talks between the driver and team have not resumed.
According to the latest reports, the German driver’s contract renewal with Haas has been put on hold. The team will initiate talks with Schumacher after the summer break.
Gina Schumacher takes over the radio to compliment brother Mick on his first-ever points finish! 🥰#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/XEntJ2gTUq
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 4, 2022
Schumacher joined Haas after winning the F2 championship in his rookie year in 2020. But since his F1 debut, he struggled to score his first point. He eventually did score it on his 34th race at the 2022 British Grand Prix.
But an 8th place finish is not enough to impress Haas’ team boss Guenther Steiner. According to him, Schumacher must put more effort in order to secure a seat for the upcoming year.
Steiner said, “I don’t really know what Mick has achieved so far. And we have not spoken about a drive for next year with Mick. He hasn’t spoken to us and we haven’t spoken to him. We want to see what’s happening.”
Also Read: Haas suspends $1 Million worth contract extension talks with Mick Schumacher
Will Mick Schumacher continue to race in F1?
Mick is the son of 7-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher. Michael is a legend in the sport and a hero to many drivers. And just like his dad, Mick aims to make a dream move to Ferrari in the future.
But unfortunately, Schumacher junior’s performance so far has gone below Ferrari’s radar. And with a duo like Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, Ferrari is not interested in signing any more drivers.
Therefore, he won’t be able to make a move to Ferrari anytime soon. But the German might look for opportunities elsewhere. Earlier it was reported that the 23-year-old could possibly occupy the retiring Sebastian Vettel’s seat at Aston Martin.
Guenther Steiner said that Haas will take some time before making a decision on Mick Schumacher’s F1 future, stressing that the final choice will be made independent of Ferrari.
Schumacher’s future should be clear by September or October. #F1 #Schumacher #Formula1 #BelgianGP
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) August 5, 2022
Vettel is a close friend of the young German and recommended his name too. But the seat was filled up by Fernando Alonso. Steiner too was keeping a close eye on the situation then.
Steiner said, “This Aston Martin thing happened very quickly. So nobody had time to really think about it, but there were rumours he could replace Vettel, but that went away pretty quick.”
Apparently, Haas may not renew his contract. Ferrari somewhat controls the 2nd Haas seat and Mick is part of the FDA. Some are saying he may leave the FDA to have a better shot at a seat elsewhere like Williams, AR/Sauber, Alpine, etc. since he wouldn’t be tied to Maranello.
— Adam (@TheAdamTerry) August 5, 2022
There is even a possibility that Schumacher could terminate his contract with the Ferrari Driver Academy. He could eye a move to Red Bull or Mercedes. Or continue with FDA and look for an opportunity at Alfa Romeo.
But he has to look out for a seat in F1 quickly. He must continue in F1 and improve and put better results to establish his name. But a failure to secure a seat in 2023 will be detrimental to his F1 career.
Also Read: Mick Schumacher has fallen under Red Bull’s radar as his form improves
