Mick Schumacher’s Formula 1 career is looking to be in turmoil, as the 23-year-old remains without a contract with only seven races remaining this season.
The German driver is out of contract with the Haas F1 Team at the end of the season, with no announcement having yet been made on whether the American side will retain Schumacher for a third season.
Ferrari F1 reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi and outgoing McLaren F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo have both been linked with the seat, meaning there is no guarantee that the son of Michael Schumacher will be on the 2023 grid.
The Dutch Grand Prix was another disappointing race for Schumacher, as he finished P13 despite having started eighth.
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A lengthy opening pit-stop saw the young German drop out of the points, after running in P10 during the opening phase of the race.
With Pierre Gasly looking increasingly likely to be moving to the Alpine F1 Team next season, rumours had begun to circulate that perhaps Schumacher would move to Scuderia AlphaTauri with the desire of replacing Sergio Pérez at Red Bull Racing in the future.
This has been ruled out by Red Bull chief Dr Helmut Marko, who insisted at the Dutch GP that this wasn’t an option.
“No,” Marko told Sky Germany.
“He is not one of us, he is a Ferrari junior and that is why we have never done business with him. We have our own programme and prefer our own people.”
People still think a move could be on the cards, though, with Schumacher’s mother Corinna Schumacher, having been spotted talking to the Red Bull official.
As always, this sent fans into pandemonium on Twitter, with many now almost certain that Schumacher will not only leave Haas and the Ferrari Driver Academy, but that he will move to the “Red Bull environment”.
“If Helmut gives Mick a seat at AlphaTauri over Red Bull juniors, his career might get a boost,” said @I_am__AwarE_. “No chances of Ferrari seats anytime soon. Red Bull environment might toughen and prepare him for future.”
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@rafal016 said: “Well, that’s Mick to AlphaTauri, right? Unless in fact Alpine also comes in as one of the options.”
“They were negotiating a place for Mick at AlphaTauri,” insisted @leonor_silva99, while @sstanset claimed: “They were talking about the seat at Alpha Tauri for Mick (trust me).”
Weirdly, despite saying that only a Red Bull driver will replace Gasly, a deal is believed to have been agreed for IndyCar superstar Colton Herta to move into the seat next season, superlicence pending.