Guenther Steiner, the team principal of Haas, has called on the German media to shift their attention from the past and instead focus on the future of Mick Schumacher in Formula 1.
Steiner’s remarks come as 24-year-old Mick prepares for his first outing in a Formula 1 car this year, driving the W14 Mercedes, following his departure from Haas due to underperformance.
Lewis Hamilton, who finished second in the Spanish Grand Prix, praised Schumacher’s contributions as a reserve driver. Hamilton acknowledged Schumacher’s excellent work in the simulator, which played a role in the team’s performance
Schumacher himself revealed that his schedule has been busy, spending late nights in the simulator and providing feedback for Mercedes’ new car upgrade.
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The German has also been visible alongside Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff in the garage during races, discussing observations and offering insights.
On Wednesday, he will participate in the Pirelli tire test at the Circuit de Catalunya, an opportunity seen as a crucial step for him.
Ralf Schumacher, Mick’s uncle and a former Formula 1 race winner, believes the test will validate the simulator work and showcase Mick’s speed on the track.
Gunther Steiner expressed relief that the focus of the German media has shifted towards the future rather than dwelling on his strained relationships with both Mick and Ralf Schumacher.
“On the one hand he gets a confirmation between the simulator and reality, and then of course he can also show that he can be fast in the car,” Ralf told Sky Deutschland.
“People will look at it and draw comparisons with other drivers and teams. Yes, Mick can create an exclamation mark – even within the team.
“He can show that what he does in the simulator he can also do on the track. So I’m happy for Mick.”
Steiner urged the media to redirect their inquiries about Mick’s future to Toto Wolff, his current boss, rather than constantly revisiting the past.
Steiner acknowledged the media’s intense scrutiny of the Haas-Schumacher separation, attributing it in part to Mick’s famous surname. He emphasised that his intention was never to harm Mick’s career and that the decision was made in the best interest of the team.
“The separation was more than half a year ago and in Germany people are still talking about it,” Steiner told Sport1.
“When we got Mick two years ago, I knew that the name was a curse and a blessing at the same time. But one thing is certain – I didn’t want to destroy his career.
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“We have nothing against him. We were only thinking of the team.”
Steiner expressed frustration at being portrayed as an uncaring and ruthless team boss, emphasising that his direct approach is well-known to the drivers, who should be able to handle it.
While Steiner remains uncertain about how Mick handled the situation, he believes the focus should now be on Mick’s progress and potential. Steiner hopes that the German media will embrace this perspective and allow Mick Schumacher’s future in Formula 1 to take centre stage.