Mick Schumacher fired in F1 by Haas, in his place Hulkenberg-Corriere.it

There is no longer a place in Formula 1 for Michael Schumacher’s son, Haas has unloaded him to take Nico Hulkenberg, only the official was missing and it has arrived. Thirty-five years old, also German, Hulk is the safe used to join Kevin Magnussen to replace the boy with the heaviest surname in racing history. Experience and a streak of 181 races without ever getting on the podium, many placings for a total of 521 points. A triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Porsche, in 2015. Last time as a starter in F1, in 2019 at Renault, then occasional appearances as a reserve. A century ago.

It seemed like a good fairy tale about Mick, written by his son in the name of his father who had followed him on karts until the cursed ski accident in 2013 changed the fate of an entire family. Mick had to grow up quickly, to cultivate his dream of becoming a pilot he relied on his father’s friends and historical collaborators, the manager Sabine Kehm who has always protected him from uncomfortable and invasive questions, from the crowd of TVs and cameras that has followed him since he made his debut in the youth categories. A spasmodic wait, excessive for a driver who is willing and eager to learn, but after two seasons judged not up to par with Formula 1. A sudden interruption that will force him to look elsewhere, he could become a Mercedes test driver, after having hoped until recently some time ago to also play his cards for a place in Ferrari, he who had entered the Maranello Academy. Schumi-Rossa again, only one suggestion left. Gone are the days when in Bahrain he made his debut on Ferrari in tests before even setting foot in F1 (a privilege reserved for very few), after an apprenticeship championship, in 2021, at the service of an oligarch who had succeeded – by paying – in the enterprise of placing the Russian flag on an American single-seater. In 2022 in Haas Mick found himself alongside Magnussen who at the first opportunity, after a very long period of inactivity in F1, was immediately in front of him. And that’s where the doubts began to eat him up, and that’s where, in an attempt to stand up to the Dane, he paid dearly for errors of enthusiasm. He crashes into the walls of Gedda in qualifying, how scared. He comes out of the hospital without a scratch but the damage to the car amounts to millions and he has to give up racing the GP because the car is in too bad shape. Almost photocopied bang in Montecarlo, where they whisper that team principal Guenther Steiner already wanted to leave him on foot: His accidents cost us too much, we can’t even produce spare parts in time for the race.

Then Mick slowly reacted, picking up the first points of his career at Silverstone and Austria, sixteenth in the standings at 12, Magnussen has 25. But that wasn’t enough because something cracked in the relationship with the team until it became irreparable, the among his entourage the team have aggravated the situation. He tried to settle down at Aston Martin – sponsored by Sebastian Vettel whose friend- but was burned by Fernando Alonso. Same fate in Alpine where Esteban Ocon would have wanted him alongside, but the top management then focused on Gasly. The rest is chronicle, the chronicle of an interrupted dream. I admit that I am disappointed by Haas’s decision not to renew my contract -, however, I thank the team and Ferrari for giving me this opportunity. They have been good but also difficult years, I know I have grown up and deserve a place in F1. The question is not closed for me. Lotter with all his strength to get back on the grid. He has only a tiny glimmer left for 2023: that Logan Sargeant, destined for Williams, does not get enough points to take the F1 super-licence points in the last race of Abu Dhabi this weekend.