P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that Mick Schumacher would have been better served joining Red Bull’s driver programme as a route into F1, rather than Ferrari’s.
In 2021, Schumacher started his Formula 1 career with Haas, partnering with Nikita Mazepin. Although Schumacher performed well, it was hard to judge his true potential due to Mazepin’s struggles. In 2022, Schumacher was paired with Kevin Magnussen and they were evenly matched on race days. However, a series of high-profile crashes led Haas to replace him with Nico Hulkenberg for the 2023 season. Schumacher then joined Mercedes as a third driver, but his future in F1 is uncertain. Ecclestone suggests that Schumacher needs to fight and prove himself rather than relying on his name. He also believes Red Bull could have been a better fit for Schumacher. Currently, Schumacher will be involved in Alpine’s hypercar program in the World Endurance Championship in 2024, which Ecclestone sees as a good opportunity for Schumacher to showcase his skills. There is a possibility that if Schumacher performs well, Formula 1 may reconsider him in the future. However, the question remains as to how and when this could happen.
