F1 should seek German GP return with Schumacher interest

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes Formula 1 should consider returning to Germany for a grand prix with the interest in the sport piquing following the arrival of Mick Schumacher.

The last German Grand Prix was held in 2019 at Hockenheim, although F1 did race at the Nurburgring for the Eifel Grand Prix during last season's Covid-19 hit schedule.

Schumacher's promotion as F2 champion to F1 has brought about a renewed interest in the country for the sport, and Steiner hopes to see the European country return to the calendar in the near future.

“It would be very good for us to have a race in Germany," said Steiner. "But we have got already 23 races and I think the calendar is pretty full but hopefully with a Schumacher back in Formula 1 we will have a German Grand Prix in the near future.

“It is a very good market with very good interest.”

Schumacher was due to make his maiden F1 appearance in free practice at the Nurburgring last year for Alfa Romeo with the rumour mill linking the German to the seat occupied by Antonio Giovinazzi.

The Netflix 'Drive to Survive' documentary series suggested Schumacher's eventual Haas deal was linked to a sponsorship agreement with German telecommunications provider 1&1 but Steiner put the record straight on this.

He explained: “There is no direct connection between 1&1 and Mick.

"Obviously, 1&1 embraces Mick to being at Haas but that was a parallel development, not a combined development," he added.

“For sure it helped us with 1&1 and 1&1 is very happy about having Mick at Haas but that was more like a decision from Ferrari where to send the drivers. “We asked if we could have him because he won Formula 2 but it is not direct negotiation or anything going on between the company and Mick.

“I don’t know that but the 1&1 sponsorship is a Haas team sponsorship. It is not a Mick sponsorship."

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