The 23-year-old German left Ferrari-powered Haas at the end of the previous season and joined Mercedes as a backup to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
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If the McLaren Formula One team needs a replacement for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Michael Schumacher’s son Mick may be driving a McLaren this season. Ferrari great Michael’s fierce rivals at the Italian team during his prime, McLaren announced on Wednesday that they would have access to Mick’s services as part of a deal with engine supplier Mercedes. The 23-year-old German left Ferrari-powered Haas at the end of the previous season and joined Mercedes as a backup to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
“Welcome to the family, Mick,” McLaren said on Twitter. Last season, when Australian Piastri was Alpine’s third driver, McLaren and Alpine, which is owned by Renault, had a reserve-sharing agreement. Piastri will now race for McLaren this season after Alpine lost a contract dispute. Nyck de Vries, a Dutch driver, raced for Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri this season after serving as a reserve for both Mercedes and Williams last year.
Schumacher has teamed up with Mercedes ahead of the new year, the team his father, Michael, last competed for in Formula One, after losing his seat with Haas at the conclusion of the 2022 season and ending his relationship with Ferrari. Through 2023, Schumacher will serve in this capacity alongside Mercedes at all races and work closely with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in the team’s simulator. Toto Wolff, team principal of Mercedes, confirmed in Abu Dhabi that he was anxious to begin conversations that would result in an agreement being reached, indicating that Mercedes was open to signing Schumacher as a reserve driver for 2023.
The reserve driver for the Mercedes team for 2023, Schumacher said, “I am happy to be part of the Mercedes team and I am dedicated to give it my all to contribute to their performance in this very competitive and professional environment.” “I see this as a fresh start, and Toto and everyone else involved have my sincere gratitude for having faith in me. I’m excited to learn more about the intriguing world of Formula One and to give my all to the Mercedes team. You never stop learning in this field.
“Mick is a brilliant young driver, and we’re excited to have him join the Team,” continued Wolff. He works hard, approaches problems calmly and methodically, and is still eager to pick up new skills and become a better driver. “These are all crucial skills, and we’re thrilled to have him assist us in creating the W14. We also know that he will be prepared to jump into the car right away to replace either Lewis or George should the necessity arise because he has two years of Formula 1 racing experience. After a challenging second Formula One season in which he found it impossible to match teammate Kevin Magnussen’s form, Schumacher lost his position with Haas.
He finished sixth in Austria, one of two points finishes he had throughout the season, but it wasn’t enough to save his job; Haas chose Nico Hulkenberg for the following season. Mercedes was in need of a new backup driver after seeing its incumbent back-ups, Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne, both acquire employment elsewhere for 2023. Vandoorne has joined Aston Martin as the team’s backup driver, while De Vries will compete in Formula One full-time for AlphaTauri.
