Mick Schumacher full of doubt

Günther Steiner may defend his driver at every press point, but the facts are clear. Mick Schumacher is struggling this season and cannot break free from the back of the field. With zero points after four races this season, the Haas driver number 47 is the only regular driver in this situation along with Nicholas Latifi, excluding Nico Hülkenberg’s temporary spells in Sakhir and Jeddah.

Contrary to last season where he was starting in Formula 1, the expectations surrounding Schumacher are high in 2022. With a year of experience and a car whose development started well in advance of the start of the season, it was legitimate to expect better performances from the former teammate of Nikita Mazepin.

With the best result being eleventh place in the opening round in Bahrain, the overall performance after four races is meager when compared to that of his new garage mate, Danish driver Kevin Magnussen. Joining the American team as a replacement for Mazepin just a few days after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the former future Peugeot endurance driver has been outstanding since the start of the season. His fifth-place finish in the first Grand Prix of his F1 comeback was a result of excellent winter testing and held great promise for the future.

Ninth in Jeddah, Magnussen confirmed his magnificent Top 5 in Bahrain while Schumacher had to withdraw following a violent crash during qualifying (photo above). In Melbourne, the Haas team returned to the normal order, but as soon as Formula 1 returned to Europe in Imola, the white cars performed again by finishing both in the Top 10 of the Saturday Sprint Race. Beautiful hopes for points then emerged for the Sunday Grand Prix, but only Magnussen managed to score by crossing the finish line in ninth position.

Stuck in the middle of the pack after an error at Tamburello on the first lap, Schumacher finished his Italian weekend towards the back of the field. The comparison with Jan’s son is painful for the German. While in 2021 he benefited from the novelty effect and almost non-existent internal competition, he now has to show that he deserves a place in Formula 1 in the long term. As the Formula 2 champion in 2020 and a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Schumacher has the credentials and support needed for his prestigious family name to remain on the starting grid for many years to come. However, if he wants to progress up the team hierarchy one day, he will have to raise his game.

At the beginning of his motorsport career on the karting tracks, it was decided that young Mick would race under his mother’s name to avoid putting too much pressure on his fragile shoulders. After progressing to Formula 3 following a stint in Formula 4, it took him a year to learn before winning the championship in the following season. This scenario repeated itself in Formula 2 and some observers rightly believed that history would repeat itself in F1, with one season for discovery and a second one to start making impressive moves. For now, his bosses at Haas remain patient with their protégé. But until when?

The good performance of the Ferrari engine of the 2022 vintage should allow Haas to fight for points in every race. Magnussen’s presence in the Top 10 in three out of four Grand Prix races since the beginning of the season will certainly raise the ambitions of the Kannapolis team. In order to compete against teams like Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, or AlphaTauri for the top positions, Haas will need good results from both of its cars. If Schumacher remains in the background, his status could change within the team, and Magnussen would benefit from the latest developments to maximize his chances of achieving good results. A hierarchy could then be established, to the detriment of the son of the Red Baron.

Finally, Schumacher’s current performances could have negative effects on the rest of his career. Ferrari has great ambitions for their driver, but the recent contract extension for Carlos Sainz closes the doors to the Scuderia until at least 2025. Regardless of what happens in Maranello, it is unlikely that Mattia Binotto’s first choice would be Schumacher. How can we justify recruiting a driver who cannot dominate his teammate in a small team? But we are not there yet. There are still 18 (or 19 if Russia is replaced) Grand Prix races to be contested this season, and Mick Schumacher has all the ingredients to bounce back: talent, the support of Ferrari, a high-performing car, and a teammate who serves as a benchmark in terms of performance and setup.