Formula One team Mercedes have announced Mick Schumacher as their reserve driver after he was freed from his contract with the Ferrari Young Driver Academy.
The 23-year-old raced with Haas – which was closely associated with Ferrari – during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
His maiden season finished with no points and Haas were rock bottom in the constructors’ championship without a single point as well.
Things improved in 2022 with Hass finishing in the points eight times, Schumacher recording a career-best sixth-place finish at the Austrian Prix and an eighth-place finish in the prior race at the British Grand Prix.
Schumacher’s form was, however, not enough for him to secure a Haas seat for 2023 as his teammate Kevin Magnusen secured points in six races which saw Haas ultimately finish in eighth place in the constructors’ championship, their best finish since 2018 when they ended the season in fifth.
Schumacher’s Haas seat was taken by Nico Hulkenberg and with vacancies at Alpine, Aston Martin, McLaren, Alpha Tauri and Williams all occupied by other drivers, Schumacher had no race seat for 2023 but will now have to settle for the role of the third driver at Mercedes.
“The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team is delighted to confirm that Mick Schumacher will join the Team in the role of Reserve Driver for 2023,” a statement read on the team website.
“Mick will play an important role in the ongoing development of the W14. He will conduct regular work in the simulator at Brackley throughout the year, as we fight back from a challenging 2022 season. This work will be harnessed trackside as Mick will also attend all Grands Prix in his new role, alongside carrying out marketing duties across the year.”
Schumacher stated his readiness to give his all to the German manufacturer who ended the 2022 season third in the Constructors’ Championship behind Red Bull and Ferrari.
“I am thrilled to be part of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team as their reserve driver for 2023, and I am committed to give it my all to contribute to their performance in this very competitive and professional environment,” the son of seven-time World champion Michael Schumacher said.
“I take this as a new start, and I am just excited and grateful to Toto and everybody involved for putting their trust in me. F1 is such a fascinating world, and you never stop learning, so I look forward to absorbing more knowledge and putting in all my efforts for the benefit of the Mercedes team.”
Mercedes endured a difficult 2022 after seven years of domination in the V6 turbo hybrid era of power units, lacking pace and winning just one race all season which came courtesy of George Russell at the Sao Paolo Grand Prix.
