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Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher mentioned that joining the German team at the beginning of the season from Haas F1 has opened his eyes.
The German driver was unceremoniously dropped by the American team following an array of crashes throughout the 2022 season which cost Haas crucial development time. Despite not having such a bad time on the track in terms of pure performance, Schumacher was dropped in favor of an experienced Nico Hulkenberg on the team.
Speaking with Top Gear about working with Mercedes as a reserve driver, Mick Schumacher said:
“Being a reserve driver gives you tremendous insight, especially at Mercedes. I miss driving, I’m not going to lie. But the main thing I’ve learned since moving from Haas to Mercedes is how the team operates, the tools they have, how they use them, and the communication."
“They’re big learning points. It has opened my eyes in a lot of ways and has made it clear why Mercedes is as successful as it is. The worst part is sitting in the garage and seeing everybody drive out and do what you love to do."
Mercedes team boss weighs in on the new major upgrade on the car
Toto Wolff stated that the new upgrade brought on the car at the US Grand Prix a couple of weekends ago has been successful as it has made the car more balanced and has given it more downforce.
Speaking with Sky Sports, Wolff said:
"We have seen that it is providing more downforce, more driveability and the car is a little bit less tricky. Still, the genes [of the W14] are there. Lewis said to me yesterday: 'She is still so difficult to drive, although she's faster.'"
"For us, it was important to see whether directionally we were going in the right direction for next year and it seems to be on the right path. You must not forget that the car that we designed didn't have that floor, that airflow, these sidepods, leading edges, and all the 'Christmas decorations' around the design for what we have now. So hopefully, that can be a step next year."
It will be fascinating to see if the W15 has similarities with the W14 and the upgrades that the team has brought on late in the season.
The former world champions are firmly positioned as the second-best team on the grid behind Red Bull. They will hope to close the gap on the Austrian team at the start of the 2024 season.
