“He deserves a chance” Wolff talks up possible Mercedes role for Schumacher

After being dropped by Haas for next year, Schumacher is without a drive in F1.

The son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has been heavily linked with Mercedes.

Mercedes are without a reserve driver for 2023 after losing Nyck de Vries to AlphaTauri, while Stoffel Vandoorne will fulfil that role at Aston Martin.

Speaking on F1’s ‘Beyond the Grid’ podcast, Wolff was quizzed about Schumacher and his chances of becoming Mercedes’ third driver.

“I really like Mick,” Wolff said. “I like the family, how they have raised their kids with this unbelievably famous name and I think he deserves a chance. He won the junior series and that is not easy. 

“Things can go against you in your first years in F1 and then he was under pressure to deliver and that doesn’t help. F1 is brutal. Maybe in a way having a year off as a third driver, similar to what Daniel [Ricciardo] does, can be good to re-assess yourself and bring yourself in a better place, hopefully finding a better seat again.

“He always impressed me from his personality. The first time I met him, which was in his first year in F3 at Hockenheim, he’s just a good person. He won F3, he won F2 and as I said before, that can’t come out of nowhere.”

Haas opted to sign veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg instead for next year.

The American outfit wanted Hulkenberg’s experience, particularly after Schumacher’s run of high-profile shunts.

While Schumacher was prone to the odd error in 2022, he managed to score points on a couple of occasions, even beating teammate Kevin Magnussen on the race head-to-head.

Schumacher will be hoping Audi’s growing influence at Alfa Romeo might see him team up with Valtteri Bottas for 2024.