Mick Schumacher insists he can develop into a "top driver" despite being axed from the Formula 1 grid after two seasons with Haas.
Much was expected of the young German when it was announced he would race in F1 from 2021. Of course his surname meant he attracted much more attention than any ordinary rookie, but his Formula 2 championship title also proved that he was worthy of his place in the sport off his own back.
Young Schumacher following in the footsteps of his legendary father was a great story, but it turned out to be no fairytale. Instead, he spent his entire first season toiling to no avail at the back of the grid in an awful Haas car.
His second season this year saw him given a more competitive machine, but still he struggled for results. He looked to have finally found his feet with back-to-back points finishes at Silverstone and in Austria, but it proved to be a false dawn – he failed to reach the top 10 again for the rest of the campaign.
That lack of results and some expensive crashes led to Haas opting for the more experienced Nico Hulkenberg for next season. Schumacher has signed up as Mercedes reserve driver for 2023, but that role is one he hopes will be temporary as he looks to return to the grid as quickly as possible.
And if he can do so, he still backs himself to show his ability. "Many people have already said it but I think it is worth saying again – nobody was fully a complete driver in Formula 1 after two years and there is a lot to learn still, said the defiant 23-year-old.
"I intend to learn those bits and pieces and I'm sure that, once I put everything together, as I have shown in junior categories, I'm sure that I can be a top driver in Formula 1 as well.
"For me personally, I know the trend which was there is what matters. You can see that consistent improvement across the course of the season and I have achieved some of the things that I wanted to achieve.
"Obviously, I haven't managed everything but I wasn't sure that I was going to reach those because it is Formula 1. It is obviously very different to all of the junior categories that I have had before."
