Is Schumacher the right man for Mercedes?

Sam Hall
Thursday 15 December 2022 16:20

Mercedes has confirmed Mick Schumacher as its reserve driver for 2023 but is he the right man for the job?

The 23-year-old's junior career makes for impressive reading with championship success in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and in F2.

But his F1 career so far has failed to match this promise.

His rookie season was almost a free hit given that Haas elected not to develop a car that began the season as the slowest on the grid.

And although his pace was strong when compared to team-mate Kevin Magnussen this term, a number of crashes and a failure to score points in 20 of the 22 races ultimately cost the German his seat.

Mercedes will undoubtedly provide the opportunity for Schumacher to hit the reset button on his career with team principal Toto Wolff suggesting the year out could be positive in the longer term.

While the move is a strong one for Schumacher, how does it work out for Mercedes? Was there a better candidate not in a race seat to fill the reserve role?

Let us know your thoughts in the poll and in the comments below!