Toto Wolff admits he wants to poach Mick Schumacher from Ferrari

Mick Schumacher has been dropped by Haas dor 2023 and is expected to also leave the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Mick Schumacher’s challenging 2022 campaign is officially over, with it certainly having not ended the way the 23-year-old would’ve liked.

Following a solid rookie season in 2021, where he drove an absolutely dreadful car, the German has failed to improve considerably in his sophomore year where he has had a midfield car at his disposal.

Schumacher has made too many costly errors this season; however, he has also performed very well for the vast majority of the second half of the season.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t enough for him to keep his seat at Haas for 2023, with the son of Michael Schumacher having been replaced by Nico Hulkenberg.

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It means that Schumacher won’t be on the grid next season, but he is expected to still be in the paddock.

There has been reported interest in the German by Mercedes, who are looking into putting an offer on the table to make him their reserve driver.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has hailed Schumacher has someone who is “close to our heart” and “deserves” to be on the grid.

“Mick is someone that has always been close to our heart because of Michael or the whole Schumacher family,” Wolff said.

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“He (Mick) is an intelligent, well-mannered young man. He’s been very successful in junior formulas.

“We believe that we can look after him if the situation were to happen and with someone that just fits the team.

“I think he deserves a place and now we have to see if we can do something,” he told Sky Germany.

Wolff has explained that it’s down to Schumacher and his manager Sabine Kehm to accept an offer from the Silver Arrows, with no deal having been “put pen to paper” just yet.

“We haven’t really put pen to paper, we haven’t really come anywhere close to any terms,” Wolff added.

“I’m seeing it that openly because I think he just fits and now we need to make it happen, if he wants to, Sabine wants to and then we see we see where that goes to.”

With a move to Mercedes looking increasingly likely, it has also been reported that Schumacher is set to lose his spot as a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy.

This perhaps comes as no surprise given that he’s already been axed by Haas, who are powered by the Italians.

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has admitted that the Italians “need to sit down” with the young driver, to determine what the best plan of action is in regard to their partnership.

“Mick, first, is a great driver,” Binotto said.

“I think he has always progressed through his career and I think he has as well progressed during the current season.

“If you look back at how he started, where he is ending, I think he has shown that he’s capable of progressing.

“We as Ferrari and Ferrari Driver Academy believe he is a great driver now. After Haas has somehow decided for a different choice for the next season, we will need to sit down with Mick really, trying to decide what’s the best for the future.”

Leaving the FDA does seem to be the best option for Schumacher, especially as he’ll get an incredible support network at Mercedes, where Wolff will certainly try to get the German back into a full-time seat.

Binotto confirmed that the Maranello-based side don’t have “any seat to offer” Schumacher, something that will perhaps put the nail in the coffin for the driver’s time as an FDA member.

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“I think the decision is really what would be best for him,” added the Ferrari boss.

“We do not have any seat to offer him right now and I think what’s most important when you’re so young in your career is to make sure that you get the best opportunity for you.

“So we’ll be fully open to different choices but something that obviously now we need to sit down with him and to conclude.”