Mercedes has signed Mick Schumacher as reserve driver for 2023

The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team Formula One announced this Thursday the joining the German Mick Schumacher as a reserve driver for the 2023 season.

Schumacher, 23, son of the seven-time F1 champion (Michael), “will face an intense program with the W14 in the simulator and will be with the team at all the Grands Prix of 2023, in addition to fulfilling his obligations in marketing throughout the year,” said a Mercedes statement.

Mick drove the last two years for the Haas team. He competed in 43 F1 races, scored points for the first time this year, thanks to his eighth place in the British GP, and the following week he achieved his best result, sixth in the Austrian GP.

Before entering F1, he obtained brilliant results in the junior category: he was champion of European Formula 3 in 2018 and of Formula 2 in his debut in 2020, with two victories and eight podiums.

Mick joined his father’s team between 2010 and 2012.

“I am delighted to be part of the Mercedes team as a reserve driver for 2023, ready to give everything to contribute to their development in this highly competitive and professional environment. I consider this as a new beginning, and I am very excited and very grateful to Toto (Wolff, team manager) and everyone else for trusting me. F1 is an amazing world, you never stop learning, so I hope to gain more knowledge and put all my efforts for the benefit of the team,” said Mick in a statement from the team.

Toto Wolff stressed that Mick was “a talented young pilot (…), a hard worker with a calm and methodical approach and still hungry to learn and improve as a driver.”

“All of these,” he added, “are important attributes, and we’re delighted he’ll be helping us develop the W14. We also know that with two years of Formula One racing experience under his belt, he’ll be ready to jump into the car when not long to replace Lewis (Hamilton) or George (Russell), if necessary.”