Haas F1 team owner: Schumacher ‘costs a fortune - wrecked a lot of cars’
Schumacher is battling to keep his Haas seat for F1 2023 and is understood to be facing direct competition from Nico Hulkenberg to partner Kevin Magnussen next season.
The future of the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher is uncertain following several huge crashes and a lack of results earlier in the campaign.
Speaking to The Associated Press at a NASCAR race in Las Vegas on Sunday, Haas conceded the 23-year-old German has cost his team “a fortune”.
“In this sport, being kind of a rookie driver, the sport just doesn’t allow it - it’s just too expensive,” said Haas.
“If you make any mistakes in driver selection, or strategy, or tire selection, it is costing you millions of dollars.
“I think Mick has got a lot of potential, but you know he costs a fortune and he’s wrecked a lot of cars that have cost us a lot of money that we just don’t have.
“Now, if you bring us some points, and you are [Max] Verstappen and you wreck cars, we’ll deal with it. But when you are in the back and you wreck cars, that’s very difficult.”
Haas’ competitiveness has tailed off as the season has gone on but improved performances from Schumacher since the summer break appear to have kept him in contention for a drive next year.
Schumacher has outqualified teammate Magnussen three times in the past five races and the pair have been closely matched. By contrast, Magnussen held a clear advantage over Schumacher at the start of the year.
Haas says Schumacher will secure his seat if he scores more points - something neither Haas driver has done since July’s Austrian Grand Prix - insisting the German’s future is in his own hands.
“Mick’s future is going to be decided by Mick,” he explained.
“We’re just waiting. We need Mick to bring some points and we’re trying to give him as much time as possible to see what he can do.
“If he wants to stay with us, he’s got to show us that he can score some more points. That’s what we are waiting for.”
Asked if Schumacher will get the final four races to prove himself, Haas replied: “Well, if he wins the next one, he’s in. Somewhere inbetween there is a grey area."
Haas will be hoping to return to the points on home soil at this weekend's United States Grand Prix.
