Picture Credit: Twitter
The effort by Mercedes to compete with Red Bull as their backup driver has benefited greatly from the efforts of Mick Schumacher. Toto Wolff, Team Principal Mercedes stated that he thought Schumacher should be in a real race vehicle rather than a simulator.
Schumacher was left without a seat after being fired by Haas at the conclusion of the 2022 season. Schumacher made his Haas debut in 2021 and won the Formula Two championship in 2020, but he had trouble with the team, scoring just 12 points and finishing no higher than sixth in 43 starts.
Wolff, who is an avid Schumacher supporter, thinks the young driver was mistreated and harshly assessed while he was at Haas. He said, "I believe whoever gets him will get a very good pilot," expressing his opinion that teams are underestimating Schumacher's potential.
Positive reviews of Schumacher's performance have started surfacing at Mercedes, where he drives as a backup. Wolff emphasised the benefits of Schumacher aiding the squad, especially in the simulator, with his maturity and expertise. "Every time we speak highly of him somebody feels like saying something negative," Wolff said.
"Wherever I can speak highly and praise Mick that's what I am doing but in the end it is every team's authority to decide on their drivers. I think teams are missing out on Mick. I think he was burned last year," Wolff added.
In some European Grand Prix races, Schumacher's comments have proven to be a benefit, giving an advantage through assisting with data analysis. Wolff, however, made it obvious that he would rather have Schumacher driving a racing vehicle than serving as a reserve after his recent comments ahead of the Canadian GP 2023.
