Mick Schumacher will serve as McLaren’s backup driver for the 2023 Formula One season. As the young German is already a member of Mercedes in the same position, the Woking-based team will split these responsibilities with the latter.
In F1, Mick Schumacher raced for Haas from 2021 to 2022. The teenage driver was able to demonstrate significant development. But it wasn’t enough to persuade the organization to award him a spot for this season.
Toto Wolff extended an arm of friendship to the young German after that. He signed him up to fill the vacancy left by Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries as the team’s backup driver.
Mick Schumacher will apparently take on the reserve driver responsibilities for both Mercedes and McLaren as well. The crew shared the information of Mick Schumacher’s arrival on social media and stated:
“As part of our agreement with Mercedes, McLaren will be entitled to use @SchumacherMick as a reserve driver for the 2023 Formula One season. Mick Schumacher, welcome to the family.”
According to the information posted on the McLaren account, Michael Schumacher’s father Andrea Stella collaborated with him as Ferrari’s performance engineer. He stated:
“Whole circle Mick Schumacher’s father, the great Michael Schumacher. He was intimately associated with McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella as his Performance Engineer.”
What about the IndyCar team for Mick Schumacher and McLaren?
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A few drivers will probably be motivated by the aforementioned statement, especially those who are a member of the team’s academy. The F1 carrot has previously been held out to drivers like Pato O’Ward, Alex Palou, and Colton Herta as well.
There were speculations of a potential duel between these drivers for Daniel Ricciardo’s spot even during the previous season.
Oscar Piastri unexpectedly took the lead and seized the driver’s seat away from these individuals. It makes sense to add Mick Schumacher to the roster for the Woking-based team. This is so because the German is more visible and has important F1 expertise.
But the most valuable contribution Mick makes is his availability. Based on their IndyCar schedules, Colton Herta, Pato O’Ward, and Alex Palou will all compete in American races.
They won’t be attending every event on the F1 schedule and won’t be in the paddock at every race, either. Mick Schumacher, though, will, and this is what makes him a strong prospect for the team.
The post Mick Schumacher Is Named by McLaren as the Reserve Driver for the 2023 Formula One Season appeared first on The12thMan.
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