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While Mick Schumacher’s Formula 1 seat with the Haas F1 team is not yet safe for 2023, the same uncertainty does not exist for his experienced teammate Kevin Magnussen.
Magnussen, 29, was ousted by Haas after the 2020 season along with Romain Grosjean to make way for the arrival of Schumacher and then rookie teammate Nikita Mazepin. And when Mazepin was ousted over the loss of a sponsor thanks in large part to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the small American team re-signed its former Danish driver Magnussen.
Team principal Gunther Steiner told the Red Bulletin: “Mick is very lucky to have a teammate like Kevin. He’s in a much better spot than last year.”
Indeed, Schumacher struggled to keep up with his much more experienced teammate early in 2022, including a sequence of high-profile crashes that attracted Steiner’s criticism and triggered speculation about 2023.
Mick Schumacher (47) and Kevin Magnussen (20) have moved the Haas F1 team up to seventh in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Standings.
Haas is not yet ready to ink a new deal with the Ferrari junior driver, but didn’t want to give any details about the talks “also out of respect for Ferrari.”
“Let’s wait for the two weeks and then a decision will be made,” said Steiner, who has previously said Haas considers his driver lineup in the summer break.
There is better news for Magnussen, however, confirming: “Yes, Kevin has a multi-year contract. We are making progress and have shown what we can do and logically we need the best possible drivers in our cars in order to finish in the points to get to the top.”
Prospects for South Africa
Formula 1 is in France this weekend, but insiders are not expecting Paul Ricard and the French Grand Prix to be on next year’s calendar.
“We would love to keep all the races,” Steiner told the German broadcaster ntv, “but that can’t happen.”
It is reported that FIA officials are in Kyalami this week to approve the former Grand Prix circuit for a new event in South Africa.
“We have to make sure that things continue commercially and bring the sport to countries where it hasn’t been for a long time,” Steiner said.
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