Haas F1 cuts Mick Schumacher, replaces him with Nico Hulkenberg

Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time System One champion Michael Schumacher, is out at Haas and Nico Hulkenberg will return to the grid fulltime subsequent season in his place.

“I want to thank Mick Schumacher for his contribution to the staff over the previous couple of years,” Haas staff principal Günther Steiner mentioned in a press release. “Mick’s pedigree within the junior classes was well-known and he has continued to develop and develop as a driver in his time with Haas F1 Staff. Whereas selecting to go in separate instructions for the longer term, the whole staff needs Mick effectively for the following steps in his profession path and past.”

Minutes after the announcement was made, Schumacher tweeted that he was disenchanted with the choice however hoped to quickly return to F1.

“It was at occasions bumpy however I steadily improved, discovered rather a lot and now know for positive that I deserve a spot in System One,” Schumacher mentioned. “The topic is something however closed for me. Setbacks solely make you stronger.”

The announcement concerning the final undecided seat on F1’s 2023 grid was hardly a shock as Gene Haas informed The Related Press in October that Schumacher wanted to attain factors within the ultimate 4 races of the season to maintain his job.

“Mick’s future goes to be determined by Mick. If he needs to stick with us, he’s bought to point out us that he can rating some extra factors. That’s what we’re ready for,” Haas informed The AP. “I feel Mick has bought quite a lot of potential, however he prices a fortune and he’s wrecked quite a lot of automobiles which have value us some huge cash that we simply don’t have.

“Now, in case you carry us some factors, and you might be (Max) Verstappen and also you wreck automobiles, we’ll take care of it. However when you find yourself within the again and also you wreck automobiles, that’s very troublesome.”

Within the three races since Haas made clear the job necessities, the 23-year-old German has failed to attain any factors with a finest end of thirteenth final week in Brazil. Schumacher missed the second race of the season after a quick hospitalization following a crash in Saudi Arabia, and with 12 factors scored this season ranks seventeenth of the 20 full-time drivers.

In two seasons with Haas, the place Schumacher was positioned by the Ferrari Driver Academy, Schumacher has but to dwell as much as the hype set by his father’s legacy. He and fellow rookie Nikita Mazepin mixed for the worst staff on the F1 grid final season, and he is been outrun all yr by Kevin Magnussen, who was introduced again to the staff when Mazepin was fired adopted Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Haas, the one American-owned staff on the F1 grid, has a technical alliance with Ferrari and Schumacher’s contract with the Driver Academy is up after Sunday’s season finale at Abu Dhabi — eradicating any obligation on Haas to maintain Schumacher within the automobile.

Schumacher may land in a reserve function with Mercedes — a job Australian Daniel Ricciardo can also be chasing — and Esteban Ocon had pushed for Schumacher to get the open Alpine seat earlier than it went to Pierre Gasly.

Mercedes head Toto Wolff admitted the staff has curiosity within the younger German after final week’s race.

“I don’t know what the standing is with Mick and Haas,” Wolff mentioned after the Brazilian Grand Prix. “However I make no secret of the truth that the Schumacher household belongs with us and that we worth Mick very extremely.”

4-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel is retiring after Sunday’s race and Schumacher is out, which put F1 in jeopardy of not having a German driver on the grid subsequent season. However Haas changed one German with one other in Hulkenberg, a veteran of 181 F1 begins.

Hulkenberg final raced a full season in 2019 with Renault, then was a substitute driver for 2 races in 2020 and one other two races this yr. He was a fill-in this yr for Vettel, who missed the primary two races of the season with COVID-19, and Hulkenberg completed twelfth in Saudi Arabia.

Hulkenberg, who’s 35, scored a pole in his 2010 rookie season however has by no means had a podium end in F1.

“I’m very comfortable to maneuver right into a fulltime race seat with Haas F1 Staff in 2023,” Hülkenberg mentioned in a staff assertion. “I really feel like I by no means actually left System One. I’m excited to have the chance to do what I like essentially the most once more and wish to thank Gene Haas and Günther Steiner for his or her belief. “

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