Could Schumacher have an EASIER route back into F1 than first thought?
Could Schumacher have an EASIER route back into F1 than first thought?
The dust has settled on what was a brilliantly entertaining Dutch Grand Prix and, if we forget about all of the talking points at the front of the field, there was one particular moment that caught our eye.
It was on lap 16, things had dried out a bit and the chaos of the opening few laps had petered out into a more normal race, with Max Verstappen leading from the front.
Logan Sargeant got onto the kerb, spun around and slammed his car into the barriers causing the first safety car of the race. It was his second crash of the weekend, having smashed into the barriers in his first ever Q3 appearance on Saturday.
"I don't know what happened, man! Something failed on the front right when I hit the kerb," Sargeant confessed on the team radio.
The question is, was this the final nail in the coffin for Sargeant in terms of being able to retain his seat for 2024?
Mick Schumacher smells blood at Williams
Waiting in the wings, of course, is Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher and a man with a couple of years of Formula 1 experience already under his belt.
He raced in 2021 and 2022 for the Haas team, with a highest finish in that time of sixth at the Austrian GP in 2022. At the end of 2022, however, Haas decided to sack Schumacher and replace him with the more experienced Nico Hulkenberg.
Many felt that Haas' treatment of Schumacher was harsh, particularly given he'd only finished 13 points behind his vastly more experienced team-mate Kevin Magnussen in 2022.
Thankfully for him, Mercedes decided to take a chance on Schumacher as their reserve driver, and he has so far been enjoying the experience of learning from seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
READ MORE: Schumacher left in SHOCK over Hamilton exchange at Mercedes
It was clear to see on occasions during Mick's two seasons that he had what it took to be a successful F1 driver, although one too many mistakes is what ultimately caused Haas boss Guenther Steiner to take the decision to replace him.
Williams on the up and looking for better?
That could also be what forces Williams' hand with Sargeant. The American is yet to score a point in F1, despite having what seems to be a fairly quick Williams car.
He has impressed at times – including last weekend when he managed to get into Q3 for the first time – but has made lots of mistakes in his debut season, like crashing within minutes of that Q3 berth.
His team-mate Alex Albon has proved that the car has performance, scoring an impressive 15 points so far this season and looking racier as the season has gone on.
The question is, has Sargeant been yet another victim of having a team-mate in supreme form, or is he not yet ready for F1?
Williams' new-found pace may be what forces their hand with Sargeant, as they will look to really challenge the upper-midfield teams next season.
Other options for Williams would include Daniel Ricciardo or a completely new challenger from a junior formula, but the likelihood is that their working relationship with the Mercedes team would make Schumacher the obvious choice.
It would be harsh on Sargeant as he hasn't really had long enough to showcase his talents but, unfortunately, F1 is a cut-throat world.
READ MORE: F1 drivers out of contract: Hamilton heads select group
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 News Today: Newey Ferrari links given huge boost as Red Bull statement IMMINENT
- 39 minutes ago
'Official' Red Bull statement on Newey exit IMMINENT
- 56 minutes ago
Hamilton beats Verstappen and host of legends to key title
- 1 hour ago
Former F1 chief suggests Ferrari making WRONG decision in Hamilton-Sainz switch
- 2 hours ago
Hamilton and Wolff centre stage as F1 shuts down New York for new emoji launch
- 3 hours ago
Newey 'desire' for DIFFERENT role at Ferrari revealed
- 3 hours ago
Related news
Schumacher reveals Hamilton has given him HUGE F1 boost
Schumacher reveals 'excitement' over potential F1 return
Schumacher speaks out on possible F1 RETURN
Mick Schumacher admits 'no reason' to stay in F1
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860