Ferrari is set to review Mick Schumacher’s ongoing participation in the Ferrari Driver Academy.
The German currently drives with Haas and has enjoyed the Scuderia’s support since joining its development programme in 2019.
The FDA is ostensibly designed to develop and promote young drivers towards Formula 1 and has previously helped the likes of Jules Bianchi, Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, and Charles Leclerc.
In most instances, a driver’s tenure within the programme has ended upon their promotion to F1 – in Leclerc’s case at the end of 2017 ahead of him joining Sauber for 2018.
That does not necessarily mean the end of the relationships, however.
The suggestion that Schumacher’s role within the programme could conclude is of additional relevance due to the Italian marque’s close relationship with Haas.
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The American-registered team is yet to make a decision over its second driver for 2023, with the 23-year-old just one of a number of pilots linked to the seat.
“As first, Ferrari Driver Academy for us is a very important pillar of our team,” began Mattia Binotto, Ferrari’s Team Principal.
“We are investing a lot in it and we’ll continue investing a lot on the Driver Academy.
“It’s important to develop the best talent and look for the future, try to find out the best talent for the red car.
“So that’s not a programme we certainly will end; on the contrary, I think we will continuously invest and improve the way we are managing it.
“With Mick, as we said at the start of the season, important for him this season to improve,” he added.
“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.”
Binotto’s comments are similar to those made by Haas Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, who suggested the team is looking for greater consistency from Schumacher.
There have been signs of that coming, finishing ahead of team-mate Kevin Magnussen in his two most recent races.
Indeed, in the seven races since he retired in Canada, Schumacher has only finished behind Magnussen on two occasions; in France and Belgium.
Whether it’s enough to see him retained by Haas is unknown, as is his position within Ferrari’s structure given, in Formula 1, it has both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz signed up until 2024.
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