Mercedes’ new reserve driver Mick Schumacher will also be made available to their customer team Mclaren this year as part of a long-running arrangement between the two.
Schumacher, the 2020 Formula 2 champion, raced in Formula 1 for Haas over the past two seasons and scored two times. He lost his drive at the end of 2022, as well as his place in the Ferrari Driver Academy, and was then signed by Mercedes.
Mercedes’ previous reserve drivers have been shared with their engine customers – Aston Martin, McLaren and Williams – over the past few seasons, and last year Nyck de Vries was called up to race for Williams for a race as a result of this arrangement.
“McLaren will be able to call on Mick as a reserve driver during the 2023 F1 season as part of our arrangement with Mercedes. Welcome to the family, Mick,” McLaren posted on social media. “Full circle. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella worked closely with Mick’s father, the legendary Michael Schumacher, as his performance engineer.
Schumacher’ seat fit for Mercedes’ new car, the F1 W14, took place yesterday. The team are in action at Paul Ricard today and tomorrow with an old car to conduct development work for new slick tyre compounds from Pirelli. George Russell has been driving so far.
Alpine lent their reserve driver Oscar Piastri to McLaren for the start of last season, and he ended up joining the latter as a race driver this year, after Alpine had also sought to promote him to a race seat.
