Mick Schumacher’s Formula 1 career for now is done, with the German having finished 16th in his final race for Haas at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
It was a largely uneventful race for the 23-year-old, except for the five-second time penalty he was awarded for colliding with Nicholas Latifi at Turn Five.
Schumacher misjudged the speed of the Canadian driver and gently touched the rear of his car, resulting in the pair spinning in sync.
He did, though, still manage to finish above team-mate Kevin Magnussen in his last race for the Americans, before being asked to stop doing donuts.
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Haas’ treatment of Schumacher has been massively questioned as of late, with the driver having been dropped for 2023 due to the Americans opting to sign veteran Nico Hulkenberg.
Given that he won’t be on the grid in 2023, rumours have started to circulate in regard to what he’ll do next season.
The biggest rumour going around the paddock is that Mercedes are interested in signing the son of Michael Schumacher, with the seven-time World Champion having raced for the Silver Arrows from 2010-2012.
Toto Wolff is a big fan of the young driver and has stated that he’d be a good “fit” at the Brackley-based side, but should he sign for Mercedes then it’d likely spell the end of his days as a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA).
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has suggested that perhaps Schumacher might be leaving the Italians in addition to Haas; however, Binotto did hail the German as a “great driver” who they “believe” in.
“Mick is a great driver, he has always progressed through his career and I think he has progressed through the season,” said Binotto.
“If you look at where he started and where he is ending, he has shown he is capable of progressing.
“As Ferrari and the Ferrari Driver Academy, we believe he is a great driver.”
Binotto explained that the Maranello-based outfit are planning to “sit down” with Schumacher over the winter, with Ferrari to be “fully open to different choices”.
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“After Haas decided on a different choice for next season, we need to sit down with Mick to decide what the best is for the future,” Binotto added.
“The decision is really what is best for him. We don’t have a seat to offer him right now and what is most important when you are young in your career is to get the best opportunity for you.
“We will be fully open to different choices but it is something now, we need to sit down with him to conclude.”