Mick Schumacher gets 2021 Haas drive for debut F1 season

Mick Schumacher will make his eagerly-anticipated Formula 1 race debut with Haas during the 2021 season.

Schumacher, the son of seven-time world champion Michael, will graduate from Formula 2 at the end of the year to contest his maiden grand prix campaign next season and follow in his father’s footsteps after landing a "multi-year" deal at the American team which has close ties with Ferrari.

Formal confirmation of the widely-expected move was made official by Haas on Wednesday morning, ahead of this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix.

"The prospect of being on the Formula 1 grid next year makes me incredibly happy and I’m simply speechless,” said Schumacher. 

“I would like to thank Haas F1 Team, Scuderia Ferrari and the Ferrari Driver Academy for placing their trust in me. I also want to acknowledge and extend my love to my parents – I know that I owe them everything. I have always believed that I would realise my dream of Formula 1.

"A huge thank you must also go to all the great motorsport fans out there who have supported me throughout my career. I will give it my all, as I always do, and I look forward to going on this journey together with Haas F1 and them.”

The 21-German is on course to win this year’s F2 championship, going into the season finale in Bahrain with a 14-point advantage over British rival Callum Ilott, who confirmed on Monday he had missed out on an F1 drive for 2021.

There are two races remaining with a maximum of 48 points on offer, and Ferrari Driver Academy member Schumacher has claimed two victories and amassed a total of 10 podiums so far this season.

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner explained his side was putting the "building blocks" in place for the future and that Schumacher's graduation was fully justified based on his performances this year.

“I’m very pleased that we’re able to confirm Mick Schumacher in our driver lineup for next season and I look forward to welcoming him into the team," he added.

“The Formula 2 Championship has long served as a proving ground for talent to showcase their credentials and this year’s field has undoubtedly been one of the most competitive in recent seasons. Mick has won races, collected podiums and excelled against some pretty exceptional talent in 2020.

“I firmly believe he’s earned the opportunity to graduate into Formula 1 based on his performances. We have an opportunity ahead of us, as a team, to evaluate and nurture a new driver given our familiarity with our race package heading into 2021.

"We are putting in place our building blocks for the continued long-term growth of the team and I look forward to Mick’s contributions both on and off the track in that process.”

Schumacher’s promotion will see his famous family name return to the F1 grid for the first time in nine years.

His father, Michael, raced in F1 between 1996 and 2006, and again in 2010-2012.

Schumacher most famously won five consecutive drivers’ world titles with Ferrari between 1999-2004, adding to his previous two world championship successes at Benetton won in 1994 and 1995.

After finishing runner-up to Renault’s Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006, Schumacher retired from F1, before a shock return to the series followed in 2010 with Mercedes.

The German’s second stint was far less successful as he only managed a single podium in 58 races.

Schumacher Jr made his debut behind the wheel of modern-day F1 machinery in Ferrari’s SF90 car during an in-season test at Bahrain in 2019, before completing the final day of running with Alfa Romeo.

He was then due to make his F1 practice debut with Alfa Romeo at the Eifel Grand Prix in October, only for the session to be cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

Schumacher will partner fellow F2 frontrunner Nikita Mazepin as part of Haas' all-rookie line-up for 2021 after it decided not to continue with imcumbents Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

Mazepin, who sits third in the F2 championship heading into the finale round in Bahrain, was confirmed on a "multi-year" deal at Haas on Tuesday.