Mick Schumacher's hopes of being kept on by Haas for the 2023 F1 season have been given a big boost by team boss Guenther Steiner.
The son of legendary seven-time world champion Michael joined the American team at the start of the 2021 campaign, but failed to impress in his maiden season as neither he nor teammate Nikita Mazepin scored a single point. After the Russian was axed for this campaign amid his country's invasion of Ukraine, Schumacher and Kevin Magnusson were expected to be more competitive in this new era of F1.
But whilst the Dane started well, Schumacher's struggles continued as he was ruled out of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix following a damaging crash in qualifying. Another accident in Monaco prompted Steiner to cast doubt over the German's future.
He has since picked up though, notching a first ever points finish at Silverstone before racking up a new career best of sixth place in Austria. The 23-year-old has also now out-qualified Magnussen three times in the past five races, although only has 12 points compared to his partner's 22.
But having seemed likely to be on his way out of Haas, Steiner has now thrown his man a lifeline. The Italian-born boss has admitted that Schumacher's past experience with the team could work in his favour when deciding his line-up for next season.
"Absolutely, if you are working with somebody for two years, that’s an advantage," he said in Japan, when asked about that very factor. "The incumbent has always got the advantage, it’s a home advantage,"
And Steiner also hinted he was reluctant to bring in another rookie, adding: "If you can have somebody you work with for two years, it’s better than bringing somebody new in, because as I always said you don’t have the learning time.
"That’s why we brought Kevin back as well, because he was here. He was out a year, but he knew everybody, and that’s always an advantage when you start from somewhere."
The Haas accumulative total of 34 points leaves them eighth in the Constructors' championship. Their best campaign to date came in 2018, where the pairing of Magnussen and Romain Grosjean finished in fifth.
