Mick Schumacher is to be the Mercedes reserve driver in 2023.
The German, son of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, misplaced his race seat for 2023 when the Haas crew dropped him in favour of veteran Nico Hulkenberg.
Schumacher’s Mercedes function will see him work within the crew’s simulator and be prepared to face in ought to Lewis Hamilton or George Russell be unable to race.
“Mick is a gifted younger driver. We’re delighted to have him be a part of,” Mercedes crew principal Toto Wolff stated.
“He’s a tough employee, has a peaceful and methodical strategy and remains to be hungry to study and enhance as a driver. These are all necessary qualities.
“We additionally know that with two years of expertise racing in F1 below his belt, he can be able to step into the automobile at quick discover to exchange both Lewis or George, ought to that want come up.”
Schumacher, who will attend all grands prix in the course of the 2023 season, stated he was “thrilled” to tackle his new function.
“I’m dedicated to present it my all to contribute to their efficiency on this very aggressive {and professional} surroundings,” the 23-year-old stated.
“I take this as a brand new begin, and I’m simply excited and grateful to Toto and all people concerned for placing their belief in me.
“F1 is such an interesting world, and also you by no means cease studying, so I look ahead to absorbing extra information and placing in all my efforts for the good thing about the Mercedes crew.”
Previous to Mercedes’ announcement, Ferrari put out a press release saying they’d reduce all hyperlinks with Schumacher, who had been a member of their driver academy since 2019.
Schumacher raced for Haas for 2 seasons, with a finest results of sixth place on the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
Haas felt that he had been out-performed by team-mate Kevin Magnussen on the Dane’s return to F1 in 2022 and regarded Hulkenberg as a extra aggressive proposition for subsequent season.
The Schumacher identify has robust hyperlinks with Mercedes.
Michael ended his F1 profession with the crew when he made a return to the game in 2010 to coincide with the institution of the present Mercedes manufacturing unit crew, retiring for the second time in 2012.
And Mercedes paid for Michael to start out his profession in F1, once they bankrolled his debut with Jordan on the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix.
Schumacher, who was competing for Mercedes in endurance racing on the time, was instantly snapped up by the Benetton crew, transferring throughout for the subsequent race in Italy.