Mick Schumacher has to wait 31 races for his first points in Formula 1, in Silverstone the time has come. The Haas driver made it into the top ten for the first time. A “milestone” that his family is celebrating on site. One that will pay off for him, predicts ntv motorsport expert Felix Görner.
There is a brief moment of disappointment in the Haas garage before the Formula 1 team erupts in collective celebration. Mick Schumacher scored his first points in the premier class of motorsport. Eighth, he wins four points at the Silverstone Grand Prix, it almost was one more.
Because the team in the racing team’s garage can cheer on them right up to the last corner, as Schumacher tries to finish seventh. He duels with none other than the current world champion Max Verstappen. “I wanted more points, passed Max, it was closer than expected,” said the 23-year-old after the race. “Then I had to go through the dirt for a bit. But that’s part of racing.” What he formulates and accepts succinctly got the pulse of many a viewer. “At the very end, my heart almost stopped when he wanted to overtake Max (Verstappen, editor’s note). I thought: let it go, get the points home,” says ex-driver Timo Glock on Sky.
“The duel with Mick was fun, I’ve known Mick for a long time, it was tough but nice, he wanted to get seventh place, but that was all fair,” said Verstappen. It is this ambition that distinguishes Schumacher. It’s well known that he’s got something, but lately the critics are getting louder, lamenting and saying that he finally has to show it.
“Fantastic Job”
Haas team boss Günther Steiner also addresses his driver publicly, which causes internal upsets. It was a “breaking test”, says ntv motorsport expert Felix Görner about the dispute, in which both insist that the other side did not behave properly. But Schumacher manages to concentrate on the essentials, like his father he can hide external disruptive factors, Görner draws a parallel. “We win together, we lose together” – Mick also masters the old saying of father Michael, according to the expert. And he is certain: success calms the anger. That’s how it sounds with Steiner, who says about the result: “That’s good for Mick. We almost couldn’t believe what happened there.” He is the first to wish well over the radio: “Hello Mick, fantastic job. Thank you. Now things are looking up again. Thank you, fantastic.”
Because after a failed qualifying session, Schumacher has to start from 19th place, behind him is only Lance Stroll. But after Guanyu Zhou’s horror crash in the Alfa Romeo right after the start, the subsequent interruption of almost an hour and the restart, Schumacher gradually worked his way forward. His team also helps when he puts on the soft, faster tires in the safety car phase after 40 laps, giving him the opportunity to fight for seventh place with Verstappen.
“I’m also happy for Mick that he was able to score his first points,” says Vettel, who finished ninth in the points himself on his 35th birthday. As soon as the cars are parked, he hugs his friend tightly.
“Father Michael would be proud of him”
“His father Michael would be proud of him,” says Görner. The well-known phenomenon of the record world champion is also evident in the son during the race in Great Britain: The family is extremely tight-knit. Mother Corinna and sister Gina congratulate her over the radio. “Micky, I’m super proud of you. Mega done, darling,” says his mother. His sister, who is two years his senior, pours champagne on him shortly afterwards in the Sky interview. Mick Schumacher had to wait 31 races in Formula 1 for this success. “It took long enough,” he says himself.
“He won’t forget Silverstone, the first points are a milestone in his career,” said Görner. But he also sees “the new goals, even if it will be difficult with the Haas at first”. But the pressure – also from team boss Steiner – will decrease for the time being, according to Görner, nobody will expect Schumacher to score points every time.
And Silverstone is also a “key race” for Schumacher and Haas, the ntv expert predicts: the “key race for the contract extension”. In the summer break, which is only three races away, Steiner will extend the contract with the 23-year-old. Görner is convinced that Mick will also have his cockpit in the coming season.
Because the first points, they are “only a part of his career. This Sisyphean task, which he has done since the beginning of the season, has now been successful for the first time,” said Görner. For Mick Schumacher things should really start now. The next chance for points is already next weekend. Then the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg is coming up.