Nico Hulkenberg offered a pragmatic response when asked if he had any sympathy for the man he will replace at Haas next season.
The German driver will hold a race seat for the first time since 2019 next year, making something of a surprise comeback to the grid. His opportunity comes at the expense of Mick Schumacher, who finds himself without a drive just two years into his fledgling Formula 1 career.
Hulkenberg appeared in Haas apparel for the first time this week, as he took part in the Abu Dhabi test for his new employer. He also spoke to reporters at the Yas Marina Circuit, where he was asked if he felt sorry for Schumacher.
His response was a blunt one: "That's natural in F1. We all fight for our careers, for the same piece of tarmac – that's just how F1 is and ultimately the driver, when he's racing, he has to convince the team with performance. And if that's not the case, the team is going to change. Same with engineers, with all personnel."
While that assessment might be seen as a bleak one, it is also accurate. Schumacher is not the only drivers this year to pay the price for a failure to live up to expectations – Daniel Ricciardo is without a seat for 2023 despite being an eight-time race winner, and Nicholas Latifi never managed to get a foothold at Williams.
The other driver leaving the grid this winter is Sebastian Vettel, though his departure was by choice. He has retired from F1 at the age of 35, with a plan to spend more time with family and pursue other interests.
A good friend and an unofficial mentor for Schumacher over the last two years, Vettel made it clear he felt Haas made a mistake by replacing him with Hulkenberg. He also appeared to question team principal Guenther Steiner's leadership as he criticised the decision-making process.
"Obviously it's bitter for him and I am sorry for him," said the four-time world champion. "I believe the team leadership at Haas is sometimes... yeah... I don't want to say but sometimes difficult to understand.
"I think Mick absolutely deserves a seat. The season was certainly not easy for him, here and there, maybe he did a mistake but I think the team was also not blameless or innocent, at least from the outside. Now I think he is concentrating on the new task, the next steps that will come, I believe and hope he gets a chance because he has the potential."
