Why Does The Path To An F1 Seat Seem Difficult For Mick Schumacher?

In a sport so incessantly driven by high speeds, last-lap battles, the painstaking tedium of setting blazing lap times and whatnot, how significant can a surname possibly get? And speaking of one, it doesn’t get bigger than the word Schumacher. Does it?

After all, here was someone who became a synonym of excellence, a man against whose name there are more race wins and world titles than any who’ve graced the sport in the past up to this point.

In fact, the very fact that there seem to persist an endless line of rumours circulating around Michael Schumacher’s current health status goes to show the kind of love he commands even to this day, when he retired finally after the 2012 Brazilian GP.

In that regard, it’s only natural to expect a world out of Schumacher jr., i.e., the up-and-coming Mick Schumacher.

A lot of attention, especially from the onset of 2018 has been given to young Mick, who’s, unsurprisingly, a part of the elite Ferrari Driver Academy and is currently making his way up from the Formula 2 grind.

All eyes, therefore, are fixated upon the one big question: can one of the most familiar and noted faces of Prema Racing (the German’s current team) go ahead and finally secure what he’s naturally expected to, being Michael Schumacher’s son: the drive in Formula 1?

And while, there has already been a lot of talk surrounding why Mick Schumacher can eventually make it, and hopefully, sooner than later, there seem to exist certain existential concerns regarding the big-awaited outcome.

In fact, so eternally concerning seems the subject of Mick Schumacher in Formula 1 that a few hours back, when there emerged a piece of news, though unsubstantiated and unsupported by hard facts, that Kimi could walk away from Alfa Romeo come 2021, there emerged this wave of hope that maybe Mick Schumacher’s maiden seat could well be with the Hinwill-based outfit.

After all, Ferrari are the lead suppliers to the Alfa Romeo stable.

That being said, here’s what seems to be the peculiar matter regarding Mick Schumacher in Formula 1:

In the words of noted Motorsports publication GPfans.com, here’s what could be the Mick Schumacher predicament:

While the likes of Alfa Romeo are powered by Ferrari, so is Haas. But Alfa Romeo enjoy a closer relationship with the Scuderia and therefore, Schumacher will likely follow another Ferrari Academy driver in Giovinazzi into Alfa.

However, if an opportunity were to arise, it is unclear who would make way for Schumacher – Kimi Raikkonen, or Giovinazzi, both of whom are out of contract at the end of this year?

That being said, should optimism take real flight- Mick Schumacher shall make it to F1.

And it suffices to say in his case, the concern really is with which particular team might he make the long-anticipated debut; it’s not about when (or if) that might happen.

But where the 2021 season is concerned, the only space that’s available for an F1 drive rests with Renault as McLaren and Ferrari have both sealed their driver line-ups.

Moreover, the likes of Fernando Alonso are being linked to possibly mark a return with the French constructor. In fact, many even speculate that Vettel- who’s out of a contract at the completion of 2020- may even make a desperate final attempt to secure a drive, should Alonso’s possible return fall to pieces.

In that case, the question with concern the management: should an experienced pro be given a chance or should whatever team (that chooses to opt for the German, if at all) go the way of the rising Deutscher?

Also Read: Is There An Aston Martin- Sebastian Vettel Connection Brewing On The Sidelines? How Feasible Is That?

Moreover, his 2019 results don’t necessarily strengthen an F1 claim and here’s what one needs to recollect:

Had Schumacher finished sixth in the 2019 F2 season, he would have achieved this total. Indeed, at the start of the season, he already had 50 to his name.

But an average campaign and the fact points are wiped three years after they being earned relegated Schumacher back to only 30 points. Without at least sixth this year in the F2 standings, he is going nowhere.