Mick Schumacher: Haas say driver ‘costs a fortune’ and has to score points to secure Formula 1 future

Haas team owner Gene Haas: “I think Mick has got a lot of potential, but you know he costs a fortune and he’s wrecked a lot of cars that have cost us a lot of money that we just don’t have.”; Watch the United States GP live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend

Mick Schumacher still doesn’t have a contract at Haas for 2023

Mick Schumacher must score points over the final four races of the season to show he deserves a new Haas deal, says the team’s owner.

Gene Haas also told reporters that Schumacher “costs a fortune” with his crashes and confirmed the team had spoken to other drivers about 2023 but that “Mick’s future is going to be decided by Mick.”

Schumacher is the son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher and has scored 12 points through 18 races ahead of this weekend’s race in Texas, live on Sky Sports F1. There are four races remaining on the schedule.

“We’re just waiting,” Haas told The Associated Press. “We need Mick to bring some points and we’re trying to give him as much time as possible to see what he can do.

“If he wants to stay with us, he’s got to show us that he can score some more points. That’s what we are waiting for.”

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Haas’ Mick Schumacher aquaplanes and crashes in the barrier after the end of Practice One at the Japanese F1.

The 23-year-old Schumacher is 16th in the standings out of 20 full-time F1 drivers and has one less race this season than the rest of the field. He missed the second race of the season after a crash in qualifying at Saudi Arabia required a short hospital stay for the German driver.

Kevin Magnussen, who was brought back to Haas this season after his 2021 firing and a year spent racing in the United States, has 22 points and is ranked 14th in the standings.

“We started off the year with resounding success and I think the middle season wasn’t too good, and we just seem to fall back into our usual way of running,” Haas said.

“We’ve just got to get out of that. And Formula 1 is so tough. When I started there was six seconds between the leaders and the backend and you had a 107 per cent rule. Now we’re all within two seconds, so it’s gotten a lot tougher and there are no bad teams anymore.”

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Mick Schumacher’s car split in two in a high-speed crash at the swimming pool chicane, leading to a red flag at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Schumacher’s crashes have tested the patience of Haas and the team leadership.

“In this sport, being kind of a rookie driver, the sport just doesn’t allow it – it’s just too expensive,” Haas added. “If you make any mistakes in driver selection, strategy or tire selection, it is costing you millions of dollars.

“I think Mick has got a lot of potential but you know he costs a fortune and he’s wrecked a lot of cars that have cost us a lot of money that we just don’t have. Now, if you bring us some points, and you are (Max) Verstappen and you wreck cars, we’ll deal with it. But when you are in the back and you wreck cars, that’s very difficult.”

Asked if Schumacher has the full final four races to prove himself to Haas, the team owner said: “Well, if he wins the next one, he’s in. Somewhere in between there is a grey area.”

The drivers being mentioned to replace Schumacher include Antonio Giovinazzi and, more recently, Nico Hulkenberg, who made two starts this season as a substitute driver for Aston Martin.

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Following Mick Schumacher’s frustration after the sprint race, Guenther Steiner reveals what the team dynamics are like behind the scenes within Team Haas.

Live United States GP schedule on Sky Sports F1

Thursday
9pm: Drivers’ Press Conference

Friday
7pm: The F1 Show
8pm: United States GP Practice One
10.45pm: United States GP Practice Two (session starts 11pm)

Saturday
7.45pm: United States GP Practice Three (session starts 8pm)
10pm: United States GP Qualifying Build-up
11pm: UNITED STATES GP QUALIFYING
12.45am (Sunday): Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: United States GP Build-up
8pm: THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX
9pm: Chequered Flag: United States GP Reaction
11pm: Ted’s Notebook
11.30pm: United States GP Highlights