Formula 1’s driver line-up for 2023 moved another step closer to completion today, as AlphaTauri confirmed Yuki Tsunoda will remain at the team for a third year.
The final spaces on next year’s grid are filling up quickly. With McLaren’s decision to appoint newcomer Oscar Piastri, at least one of this year’s current crop will be let without a seat next year.
But there could be more than one left without a seat when the music stops. The future of this trio of drivers is uncertain.
Mick Schumacher
Having been promoted into F1 through the Ferrari Driver Academy last year, Mick Schumacher’s place at Haas was thrown into question when reports claimed he will not retain Ferrari’s backing next year.
Schumacher had a rough start to his second year at Haas. He easily had the beating of fellow rookie Nikita Mazepin last year, but the experienced Kevin Magnussen has proved a much tougher benchmark and Schumacher had a pair of heavy and expensive crashes early this season in Jeddah and Monaco.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said earlier this month at Zandvoort that he wanted to see a clear improvement from Schumacher this year. He plans discussions with Haas over the driver’s future.
“As we said at the start of the season it’s important for Mick this season to improve,” said Binotto. “We will in a few races sit down with him, make a balance of the season, and we’ll do that as well together with Haas and decide for his best future.”
However Ferrari’s decision to put Antonio Giovinazzi in the Haas for two practice sessions has to be taken as a sign they are considering recalling the driver who lost his previous F1 drive at Alfa Romeo at the end of last year. With Alfa Romeo’s line-up unlikely to change – Valtteri Bottas has a long-term deal and Zhou Guanyu is expected to earn a second season – Schumacher’s best chance of remaining on the grid appears to be his current address.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner insists Schumacher is “still in the running” to stay at the team next year. He pointed out the 23-year-old has raised his game since his rough start to the season. “Mick did a very good job in Canada, Austria and Silverstone, and since then the car was not at par.”
But the team hasn’t re-signed Schumacher “because we want to wait to see if that is the best decision,” said Steiner. “He’s in the same position as all the other drivers that are on the market….
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at RaceFans…