1978 Formula 1 World Champion Mario Andretti is confident that Mick Schumacher will return to full-time racing in the pinnacle of motorsport in the future, with the American believing that the German’s talent doesn’t just simply “go away”.
Schumacher is set for a year on the bench in 2023, after Haas opted not to offer the 23-year-old a new contract, with his deal having expired at the end of last season.
His two-year stint at Haas was incredibly mixed, with the son of Michael Schumacher having shown plenty of talent and ability; however, he was also accountable for some sizeable mistakes.
Schumacher’s rookie season was impossible to judge, with Haas having effectively used their 2020 car for the 2021 season, in order to fully prepare for the new aerodynamic regulations.
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With this in mind, Schumacher and team-mate Nikita Mazepin spent the entirety of 2021 at the back, unable to challenge for the top 15, let alone the top 10.
Last season, though, was much stronger for Haas, who gave Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen a car capable of fighting amongst the midfield.
Schumacher showed considerable pace and talent particularly at Silverstone and at the Red Bull Ring, the two venues where the German claimed solid points finishes.
However, he also suffered two huge crashes at Saudi Arabia and Monaco, which left the team with a hole in their pocket.
The crashes were huge, both in regard to the extent of the damage and the bill that was necessary to repair the car.
His inconsistency ultimately saw him dropped by Haas, leaving him with no seat for 2023.
Mercedes did swoop in to sign the young German as their reserve driver for this season, with Toto Wolff having high hopes for what Schumacher can do for them.
Given he isn’t racing in 2023, Mercedes’ reserve gig is arguably an excellent result for Schumacher, with it being a position that could shape the rest of his career.
Should he make the most of his chances to drive the W14 then he could find himself back on the grid in 2024, or perhaps in the future as an Andretti driver, given how big a fan Mario seemingly is.
“I’m sure someone will take him,” Andretti told RTL / ntv and sport.de.
“Talents like that don’t go away.
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“I think Mick improved enormously last season. No question. And that was evident in his performance.”
The racing legend also believes Schumacher has represented the famous family name “with a lot of pride”, further highlighting the apparent fan Andretti is of the Mercedes reserve driver.
“I think he wore it with a lot of pride, no doubt,” added the American.