Schumacher speaks out against Haas: "I can see now how it should be..."

The German was dropped by Haas at the end of a crash-strewn and difficult sophomore F1 season in 2022, with Nico Hulkenberg being drafted in to replace him. 

Schumacher has acted as Mercedes’ reserve driver in 2023 and suggested that he feels more support in his current environment than he did at Haas. 

"I can see now how it should be. My two years [with Haas] didn’t show me that,” he told Sky Deutschland. 

“[You cannot] assume a driver will perform at his best if you don’t support him in the right way. 

“People will never hand you flowers, you have to pick them yourself. I know that now.”

Earlier this year, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff suggested that Schumacher would have been treated differently at Haas had his legendary father Michael been in the F1 paddock. 

"I'm looking out for the little one,” Wolff told Swiss newspaper Blick. “I can only say that his parents did nothing wrong in bringing him up. 

“And I claim that if Michael had accompanied his son during the two Haas years, Steiner would not have dared to treat Mick like that!” 

Responding to Wolff’s accusation at the time, Haas team principal Guenther Steiner told Sky Sports: “What I have to say is, if my father would have been around Toto wouldn't have said the things he said.”

Schumacher’s hopes of returning to the F1 grid full-time in 2024 are looking slim. 

“Toto Wolff was asked about Mick Schumacher,” reported Ted Kravitz on Sky.

“Toto was asked: ‘Can you get a berth for Mick, your development and reserve driver, for next year?’

“‘Is there opportunity at Williams, maybe if they don’t keep Logan Sargeant?’

“Toto said: ‘Unfortunately for Mick, it looks like all the doors are being closed in front of him’.

“If you’re a fan of Mick Schumacher, and let’s face it, who isn’t? Sadly it doesn’t look like Mick is going to be back on the grid next year.

“In which case he’s going to have to find a different series to race in, because he can’t have two years away from racing, that would just really hurt too much for him.

“Let’s see what happens. Maybe there will be a place at Williams turn up. Sargeant had a disappointing day. But let’s see.”