Mick Schumacher becomes reserve driver at Bahrain 2023 F1 Grand Prix

Admin l Saturday, March 04, 2023

 

BERLIN, Germany – Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone believes that Mick Schumacher can have a future in the sport although he is now only a reserve driver at Mercedes in the 2023 season which starts on the weekend in Bahrain.

Schumacher, the son of record seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, was not retained by the Haas team for the 2023 season after two years with them.

He is now reserve driver for Lewis Hamilton and Goerge Russell at Mercedes, and Ecclestone told dpa in the run-up to the season start that was probably his best chance to stay in the sport and try to re-boost his career at the team that ruled the sport for many years.

“We will see what happens. Maybe he will find his way,” Ecclestone said.

“I don’t think he needs to learn too much. He just needs looking after properly, making sure he is comfortable in the team and wanted in the team, wanted for his driving ability and not anything else.

“He has been pushed aside a little bit because people remember the name and were expecting too much too early.”

Ecclestone said he wouldn’t have given Schumacher a regular seat either this season if he was a team principal because “he wasted a lot of time with the wrong team and the wrong people managing him.

“I don’t think he was looked after very well. It is a pity for him,” added Ecclestone, who was F1 commercial rights boss for around four decades until 2017.