F1 legend Michael Schumacher's son Mick, who is in his second season in the sports with Haas, will become a free agent at the end of this season after losing his deal with the Ferrari Driving Academy.
Having a father who left behind a stunning legacy, Mick Schumacher has undergone a tough time proving that his success is not because of his name but due to his undeniable talent. Owning to his great effort, Schumacher Junior has been elevated to the top level of motorsport.
Schumacher's contract with Haas is about to end
At age 23, the German driver is enjoying his second season in F1 with Haas after a scoreless debut season. However, Schumacher's future with the team remains not guaranteed as his contract expiration at the end of the year is approaching while Haas has so far made no negotiation to extend it. He's one of the many drivers suffering from the uncertain future of their F1 careers, according to Motorsport.
According to the Mirror, Haas chief Guenther Steiner confirmed that there has been no talk of an extended contract between the team and Schumacher, which means his budding career could be ending in no time.
Earlier this summer, Schumacher was briefly linked to Aston Martin after four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel announced his retirement, leaving Schumacher the only German on the grid. However, that prospect was soon dismissed by F1 driver Fernando Alonso, who said:
'He hasn't spoken to us and we haven't spoken to him – we want to see what's happening. This Aston Martin thing happened very quickly and so nobody had time to think about it, but there were rumors he could replace Vettel, but that went away pretty quickly. We didn't look at what other people were doing.'
Regardless of the effort for negotiation, the result is not going well and now, both the Italian team and the German driver are looking for other opportunities and look set to part ahead 2023. The Haas Team Principal Gunther Steiner had admitted that he would not stop Schumacher from splitting the team, saying:
'I don't really know what Mick has done, and we have not spoken about a drive for next year with Mick'.
In case Schumacher leaves Haas, Italian driver Antonio Giovinazzi might be the 23-year-old driver’s replacement.
And according to the Mirror, Schumacher is expected to emerge on the market as a free agent after leaving his first F1 team. His possibilities are varied but the most feasible one is him joining the Alpine team. Schumacher’s close friend Esteban Ocon, an Alpine team member, has backed him to join Alpine. He said to the reporter:
'What I would like is for Mick to race with me, that is clear cause he is my good friend, but that is not going into the bosses’ ear. I’ll let them decide.’
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso expressed that despite the clouds shrouding Schumacher's future, he is bound to find another team thanks to his 'impeccable performance' as a young driver. He said:
'I'd be surprised if Mick doesn't find a job anywhere. He shows impeccable performances which the people in charge can see. He also has a great name. A team looking for a young driver can do no better than signing Mick Schumacher.'
Schumacher Jr.'s F1career
Schumacher Junior started his career in 2008, using his mother’s maiden name ‘Mick Betsch’ to avoid unnecessary attention. His father, considered the best F1 racer in history, has earned five F1 world titles with the Italian team in an iconic ten-year spell, which made a huge shadow for him to overcome.
Schumacher Junior gradually climbed up the ladder, going from F3 class to the Champion of Formula 2 in 2020. Then, as we all know, he signed a contract with his father’s former team, Ferrari. The return of the name Schumacher, whose parents are planning a new life in Mallorca, is a very emotional moment in the motorsport world, just like the way the name Schmeichel marked its comeback to the football field.
Read more:
⋙ Michael Schumacher's wife plans new life in Mallorca with F1 legend
⋙ Inside Michael Schumacher’s bond with Max Verstappen as F1 star would call him uncle
