Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel thinks Ferrari junior Mick Schumacher is getting too much criticism from journalists and feels it is time for the media to stop hounding his struggling compatriot and friend.
Mick Schumacher made his Formula 1 debut last season for Haas and had a solid first year, despite the fact that Haas’ 2021 car did not allow him to hope for anything more than fighting with his teammate Nikita Mazepin. He won the internal battle with the Russian, but this season Mick Schumacher’s career trajectory has failed to move in a positive direction in the start of the championship.
Haas replaced Nikita Mazepin before the start of the 2022 Formula 1 season and Kevin Magnussen became the Ferrari junior’s teammate for the new campaign. This led to a more difficult task for Mick, who now faces a much more experienced driver. After the first seven races of the season, it seems to be a test that Mick Schumacher cannot pass, as Kevin Magnussen was able to score 15 points so far, while the young German driver is still waiting to get off the mark this year, and in Formula 1 in general.
After a difficult start in 2022, Mick Schumacher had shown recent signs of improvement and seemed able to get closer to the pace and performance of his teammate, but last weekend in Monte Carlo he suffered his second huge and expensive crash of the season. The Ferrari junior lost control of the Haas VF-22 at the entry to the Swimming Pool section, hitting the barrier before slamming into the Techpro as the car ripped in half. Mick Schumacher fortunately was unhurt.
“I’m feeling all right,” Mick Schumacher told media personnel when asked about the incident in Monaco – “Obviously it’s very annoying. I think in terms of pace we were definitely there. It’s just a matter of keeping it on track and unfortunately I wasn’t able to do that. The pace felt strong and it felt like we were able to attack and push. We just ended up being a little too wide, which is maybe a matter of 10cm at the end, and that was enough to lose all grip you thought you had. And unfortunately the result is as it happened.” – he added.
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Unfortunately for Mick, the Monaco incident was not the first time in 2022 when Mick Schumacher has damaged the Haas VF-22, with a similar outcome in the the qualifying session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
However, former Scuderia Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, who has been a mentor to Mick during his Formula 1 career, feels that the 23-year-old can and will improve a lot, urging the media to leave him alone:
“The most important thing is that he’s fine,” Sebastian Vettel replied, when asked about Mick Schumacher’s crash in the Monaco Grand Prix – “I have no doubt that he can do more than he’s showing right now. But I think you have to leave him alone for a bit.” – Sebastian Vettel said.
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