Mick Schumacher is still in the race for a future with the Ferrari Formula 1 team.
That’s what Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto says, who has announced that Michael Schumacher’s son will split his duties next year into his second racing season with the Haas F1 team and a spare role for Ferrari.
“Mick will be the substitute driver for Ferrari, just like Antonio Giovinazzi,” said Binotto to the European media company RTL. “Antonio will be the reserve driver in some races and if he’s not there it will be Mick.”
Binotto says Schumacher, 22, deserves his mini “promotion” even though Schumacher is still aiming for his first point in Formula 1.
Mick Schumacher finished twelfth of his career in Hungary in 2021.
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“He’s always a Ferrari driver and did well with Haas throughout the 2021 season,” said Binotto. “The cars of 2022 will be very different in driving style from 2021, so he will get used to it. It is very important for us because whenever we need him he will be ready to drive a Ferrari.”
Still, it seems that Schumacher’s first real chance of a promotion to the Ferrari seat will have to wait at least until 2025, amid rumors that Carlos Sainz is ready to extend his existing Ferrari contract for two more seasons. He would be under contract until 2024.
As Ferrari’s longstanding relationship with main sponsor Philip Morris was questioned, the Italian team announced Tuesday that it has reunited with former main sponsor Santander – a Spanish bank. Santander was previously linked to Spaniard Fernando Alonso at both McLaren and Ferrari.
The news ties in with growing rumors in Italy and Spain suggesting Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will sit down with Sainz this winter to discuss a new deal. The 27-year-old driver, who replaced Sebastian Vettel in 2021, is currently only obliged until the end of next year.
“Leclerc and Sainz are a wonderful pair of drivers for the future,” Binotto told European media on Tuesday. “We are very satisfied with both of them. I am very satisfied with the continued growth of Leclerc and Sainz has proven itself.
“When we announced him, we heard a lot of skepticism, but we were convinced that he could score points for us in the F1 constructors’ championship and he showed that,” said Binotto. “He finished all races, he always got points, except in two Grand Prix (Sainz was 11th in Portugal and France). He had a great championship. He settled in quickly and is now a driver that we can rely on being able to leave.”
Ferrari finished third in the constructors’ championship in 2021 after finishing a disappointing sixth place in 2020.
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