If Mick Schumacher doesn’t make it again onto the Formulation 1 grid for 2024, then Nico Rosberg doesn’t see how he ever will.
Schumacher’s future racing plans are undetermined after Haas made the choice to wave him farewell on the finish of the 2022 marketing campaign, though he has landed a reserve driver position with Mercedes for the 2023 season.
And whereas Rosberg, who was team-mate to Mick’s father Michael Schumacher at Mercedes from 2010-12, does really feel it was onerous for Mick to shine within the Haas, he additionally believes that the 23-year-old confirmed a scarcity of consistency when it got here to getting the very best out of the equipment he had. This too was a criticism of Haas staff boss Guenther Steiner.
Plus, when there was a possibility, Rosberg felt it was Kevin Magnussen taking it, not Schumacher.
Talking on Sport1’s AvD Motor & Sport journal, Rosberg stated: “It was nice to have Mick Schumacher on the grid and attention-grabbing to observe his performances within the premier class.
“Sadly, it was extraordinarily tough for him as a result of he had the worst automotive within the discipline for lengthy stretches. It’s tough to set highlights there.
“Nonetheless, it’s a must to examine him with Kevin Magnussen. There was a scarcity of consistency, and Magnussen was all the time there in these moments when the automotive gave one thing away. Mick lacked these peaks. Sadly, there’ll now be a break in his GP profession in the intervening time.”
And the way lengthy this break lasts, in accordance with Rosberg, can be key as to if we see Schumacher on the Formulation 1 grid once more.
Rosberg feels the lately confirmed reserve spot at Mercedes is an effective subsequent step in Schumacher’s profession, but when it didn’t result in a spot on the 2024 grid, then he doesn’t see how Schumacher will make that return.
“Reserve driver at Mercedes, that’s an excellent choice to remain in F1 and hold the possibilities of coming again someplace in 2024,” stated Rosberg.
“However Schumacher would additionally want an excellent sponsor to help him financially in his comeback to the grid. If nothing comes of it in 2024, then that may most likely be the tip with Formulation 1.”
That being stated, Rosberg doesn’t imagine {that a} future with out Formulation 1 is essentially a detrimental one for Schumacher, fairly the alternative in actual fact.
DTM, Formulation E and IndyCar are additionally collection the place Rosberg believes Schumacher might take pleasure in racing.
“There could be sufficient good choices left for him: DTM, Formulation E, IndyCar,” stated Rosberg. “These are nice racing collection the place he might even have enjoyable.
“They’d be grateful to have a expertise like Mick within the discipline.”
Audi or Mercedes might deliver Mick Schumacher again
To Rosberg’s level, if Schumacher will not be on the Formulation 1 grid as soon as extra in 2024, then the playing cards actually would want to fall completely for him to make a comeback. Happily, that very properly might occur courtesy of Audi.
A deal has been struck for the German model to companion up with Sauber from 2026, thus creating an Audi works staff.
Audi’s curiosity in making Schumacher part of their line-up has been placed on document for fairly a while now, and even earlier than 2026, if there is a chance on the staff which can function as Sauber in 2024 and 2025, then Audi would possible be pushing onerous to get Schumacher by the door.
And Mercedes can’t be discounted as an choice. Lewis Hamilton says he has one other 5 years to go, but when he was to scale back that timescale, then Schumacher could possibly be an interesting choice for Mercedes to position alongside George Russell, who claimed the staff’s solely pole place and grand prix victory of 2022.
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