What happened to Mick Schumacher? Status of F1 driver for 2023 season

After two years in Formula 1, Mick Schumacher has not secured a starting place for the 2023 season.

He was replaced at Haas by experienced Nico Hulkenberg, who remains without a full-time driver this year.

However, the young German driver will still be involved in F1 this season.

The sports news takes a look at what Schumacher has on his plate for 2023.

MORE: Which driver has the most wins in F1 history?

Why did Mick Schumacher leave the Haas F1 team?

It was a challenging start to life at Haas for Schumacher as he failed to score in his debut 2021 season.

However, his lackluster performances were generally excused as the US home team admitted they had abandoned development of their car and instead focused on the upcoming season.

Attention this season also focused on struggling teammate Nikita Mazepin, who earned the nickname “Maze-Spin” for failing to control the car on numerous occasions.

Schumacher was paired with Kevin Magnussen in 2022 after Mazepin’s departure, with the Dane returning to his former team.

With an improved car and more confident driving, the young German scored his first points in Formula 1, finishing P8 at Silverstone before following up with a P6 outing in Austria. However, his 12-point tally at the end of the season was surpassed by Magnussen’s 25, who scored on seven separate occasions.

There were glimpses of Schumacher’s ability throughout the year, but he was unable to match his teammate’s speed and driving ability and often retired at the end of the Grand Prix. He was also outqualified by Magnussen 16-6 and regularly started races in challenging positions.

At the end of the 2022 season, it was announced that Schumacher’s contract with Haas would not be renewed and Haas would sign an experienced racer at Hülkenberg instead.

What will Mick Schumacher do in 2023?

Schumacher has been confirmed as Mercedes’ reserve driver for the upcoming F1 season.

He will travel with the team on race weekends, replacing either George Russell or Lewis Hamilton if necessary.

The 23-year-old is likely to do some simulator work for the eight-time constructors’ champion during the week off.

His move also heralds the end of his four-year tenure as a Ferrari junior.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff sees Schumacher as a useful addition to the Silver Arrows team.

“Mick is a talented young driver and we’re happy to have him on the team,” said Wolff F1.com. “He is a hard worker, has a calm and methodical approach and is still keen to learn and improve as a driver. These are all important qualities and we are pleased that he is supporting us in the development of the W14.”

MORE: 2023 calendar – where will Formula 1 race this season?

Schumacher has also been announced as part of McLaren’s reserve driver pool for 2023. He will join a four-rider cohort that includes Alex Palou, Stoffel Vandoorne and Felipe Drugovich.

Due to the relationship between the two teams, an agreement was reached, with Mercedes remaining McLaren’s engine supplier.

Did Mick Schumacher win F2? Career highlights and advancement

Due to his famous surname, Schumacher has received a lot of attention and pressure throughout his racing career.

In fact, he went under the alias “Mick Betsch” when he started karting and switched to “Mick Junior” before using his real name when he reached single-seater racing.

After a successful guest appearance in karting, he made his debut in the ADAC Formula 4 in 2015 and finished second there in both seasons.

In 2017 he then moved up to Formula 3. While he finished 12th in his first season with Prema, he stayed with the same team and took home the championship the following year.

Schumacher stayed with Prema when he switched to Formula 2 in 2019. Remarkably, at the end of the season he followed an identical pattern of results as when he was in F3, finishing 12th in his debut season before winning the title in 2020.

His success earned him a spot at Haas for the 2021 F1 season, where he endured a difficult season and failed to score points.

While his score increased the following year, he was fired from Haas in late 2022.

Is Mick Schumacher related to Michael Schumacher?

Yes, legendary F1 racer Michael Schumacher is Mick’s father.

Michael was driving for Ferrari when Mick was born in 1999 and helped Scuderia win a constructors’ championship that year despite breaking his leg mid-season at Silverstone.

More than nine years have passed since Michael’s serious skiing accident in the French Alps.

Mick has regularly credited his father with encouraging his love of motorsport and has paid tribute to him on numerous occasions during his two seasons in Formula One.

He is at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix wore a replica helmet Referring to Michael’s debut at the same track in 1991.