Haas decided to do without Mick Schumacher and signed Nico Hulkenberg

Haas is without Mick Schumacher for the 2023 season. The American team announced on Thursday that the son of the seven-time Formula 1 champion is no more and Nico Hulkenberg will replace him. “I would like to thank Mick Schumacher for his contribution to the team over the past two years,” team principal Günther Steiner said in a statement.

“Mick’s pedigree in the youth ranks is renowned and he has continued to grow and develop as a driver during his time with the Haas F1 Team. Although he has decided to take a different direction for the future, the entire team wishes Mick the best in the next steps of his career and beyond.he continued.

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A few minutes after the announcement, Schumacher tweeted that he was disappointed with the decision but he hopes to return to Formula 1 soon.

“It was difficult at times, but I kept improving, I learned a lot and now I know for sure that I deserve a place in Formula 1. The topic is not closed for me. contractions only make you strongerSchumacher said.

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The announcement about the final undecided seat on the 2023 F1 grid was no surprise, as Gene Haas told The Associated Press in October that Schumacher had to score points in the last four races of the season to keep his place.

In the three races since Haas made the work requirements clear, the 23-year-old German has not scored any points, with a best finish of 13th last week in Brazil.

In two seasons at Haas, where Schumacher was placed by the Ferrari Driver Academy, Schumacher has yet to live up to his father’s legacy. He and fellow rookie Nikita Mazepin combined to make F1’s worst grid team last season, and he was outclassed all year by Kevin Magnussen, who was brought back into the team when Mazepin was sacked after the Russian invasion. from Ukraine.

Haas, the only American-owned team on the F1 grid, has a technical alliance with Ferrari and Schumacher’s contract with the Driver Academy ends after Sunday’s season finale in Abu Dhabi, removing any obligation on Haas to keep Schumacher in the car.

Hulkenberg last drove a full season in 2019 with Renault, then filled in for two races in 2020 and two more races this year. This year he was a replacement for Vettel, who missed the first two races of the season with COVID-19, and Hulkenberg finished 12th in Saudi Arabia. Hulkenberg, who is 35, took pole position in his rookie season in 2010 but has never been on the podium in F1.

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“I’m thrilled to be moving into a full-time racing seat with the Haas F1 Team in 2023. I feel like I never really left Formula 1. I’m excited to have the opportunity to do what I love most again and I want to thank Gene Haas and Günther Steiner for their trust,” Hülkenberg said in a team statement.