Mercedes sign Mick Schumacher as reserve driver for the 2023 Formula 1 season, the F1 team announce

Mick Schumacher will join Mercedes as a reserve driver, the Formula 1 team have announced.

Mick Schumacher is the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.

He has raced for Haas during the 2021 and 2022 season and finished 12th in the 2022 Drivers’ Championship after picking up points at the British and Austrian GPs. American side Haas had elected to move on from Schumacher, and will start next season with Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen as their preferred duo.

“Mick will play an important role in the ongoing development of the W14,” continued the statement.

“He will conduct regular work in the simulator at Brackley throughout the year, as we fight back from a challenging 2022 season. This work will be harnessed trackside as Mick will also attend all Grands Prix in his new role, alongside carrying out marketing duties across the year.

“Mick joins the Team having spent the last two years racing for the Haas F1 Team. He started 43 races and claimed his maiden points finish at the 2022 British Grand Prix with a strong drive to eighth place. He backed this up the following week to score a career-best result of sixth at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.”

Mercedes had been in the market for a reserve driver after they saw Nyck De Vries move on to AlphaTauri for the 2023 campaign.

Towards the end of last season they had been linked with a move for McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo, who was released from next season’s obligations after an underwhelming two seasons with the British setup.

Ultimately the 33-year-old Australia returned to Red Bull where he had been one of two lead drivers, and he will now be back-up for world champion Max Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez. However, any ongoing tension between Verstappen and Perez might see Ricciardo called up to address any early exits of the Mexican.

The move for Schumacher therefore addresses the absence that Mercedes were facing for the net season. He will be expected to support seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and stable-mate George Russell.

The 2023 F1 season begins with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah on March 19.