Michael Schumacher’s son to drive for Haas next year

Haas F1 Team has signed Germany's Mick Schumacher as part of its all-new driver lineup for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship and beyond in a multi-year agreement

Sakhir (Bahrain): Mick Schumacher, the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, will drive in Formula One for the first time with Haas next season, the team announced on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old will get a taste of what is in store when he takes part in free practice ahead of the 2020 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 11 before taking part in testing a few days later.

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“Haas F1 Team has signed Germany’s Mick Schumacher as part of its all-new driver lineup for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship and beyond in a multi-year agreement,” Haas said in a statement.

Schumacher junior, long tipped for a Formula One spot, will partner Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, also 21, in the Haas lineup. Mick Schumacher currently heads the Formula Two drivers’ standings with one race to go in Bahrain this weekend.

His father was seriously injured in a skiing accident in December 2013 and has not been seen in public since. His wife Corinna, the mother of Mick, issued a rare statement on the Formula One legend’s 50th birthday in January 2019, saying the family were doing “everything humanly possible” to help her husband.

British driver Lewis Hamilton this year won his seventh Formula One world title to equal Michael Schumacher’s all-time record.

Russell for Hamilton

Meanwhile, George Russell will step up from Williams to replace world champion Lewis Hamilton, who tested positive for Covid-19, at Formula One’s Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain, Mercedes announced Wednesday.

Williams reserve Jack Aitken will replace Russell at Williams this weekend, joining regular driver Nicholas Latifi. “Firstly, I want to say a huge thank you to everybody at Williams for giving me this opportunity,” said Russell.

“I might be wearing a different race suit this weekend, but I’m a Williams driver and I’ll be cheering my team on every step of the way.”

Russell becomes just the third Briton to represent Mercedes in Formula One after Stirling Moss and Lewis Hamilton. “A big thank you also to Mercedes for putting their faith in me,” added Russell.

“Obviously, nobody can replace Lewis, but I’ll give my all for the team in his absence from the moment I step in the car. “Most importantly, I wish him a speedy recovery. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity and can’t wait to get out on track this week.”

Russell has been a member of the Mercedes-Benz junior programme since 2017 when he won the GP3 Series championship as a rookie, before repeating the feat in Formula 2 in 2018.
He now gets a chance to drive the Formula One world championship-winning car alongside Valtteri Bottas for the penultimate race of the season.