Exactly a quarter of a century ago, Michael Schumacher stole the show at Circuit Zandvoort during the then-famous Marlboro Masters. The multiple world champion put on a fantastic demo with a Ferrari V10, including donuts on the long straight. It thrilled over 100,000 spectators, including the undersigned as a young sports reporter. Earplugs were a standard part of the circuit visit equipment and were sorely needed that day. These are fond memories of bygone times…
Back then, people didn’t even dream of a GP in their own country. It was unthinkable. But times change. Formula 1 bears little resemblance to the sport it once was, and the new king of the sport is Max Verstappen, despite the fact that he is having a difficult season. Yet there is one constant: the name Schumacher is still heard in the paddock.
When it comes to Michael Schumacher, it is always with respect and interest in his health condition. However, when it comes to his son Mick, the sentiment is different. It’s even starting to become a bit pitiful.
Hoping for a New Opportunity
As of 2025, even last week during the penultimate edition of the Dutch GP in Circuit Zandvoort, Mick Schumacher’s name is frequently mentioned in the paddock. The German has been trying for years to get a new chance in Formula 1 after his failed adventure at Haas, once his father’s playground. His name has been mentioned in the past twelve months at Mercedes, Audi, Alpine, Williams, and Cadillac, among others. But nowhere did the coin fall in his favor. Simply because he is not good enough.
Fathers and sons, there are plenty of beautiful (and recent) examples. Also in the Netherlands. Yep and Sven Kramer, Erben and Joep Wennemars, Adrie and Mathieu van der Poel, Mark and Ruben van Bommel, Tom and Rocco Coronel, and of course Jos and Max Verstappen. But talent does not always prove to be transferable…”How did Günther Steiner, his old team boss at Haas, put it again? ‘Mick is so damn slow he doesn’t need brakes.’ It’s well known that Steiner lacks empathy and any sense of diplomacy, but his insight into the sport cannot be denied.
Still a Headache
At Haas, Schumacher was weighed and found wanting in 2021 and 2022. Far too wanting. He scored significantly more crashes than World Championship points. In fact, according to various lists, he racked up over six million euros in damages in two years, more than any other driver. Team owner Gene Haas still gets a spontaneous headache at the thought.
And yet – how bizarre – the name Mick Schumacher still comes up whenever a seat is vacant somewhere. A famous surname and some friends in high places open a door time and time again. But on closer inspection, that door slams shut every time. And that’s a good thing. The Formula 1 world cherishes warm memories of Michael Schumacher and the V10, but Mick Schumacher has no place there as a driver. A comeback? Despite a powerful lobby and a prima donna surname, Formula 1 itself is firmly on the brakes. These are the harsh laws of elite sport.
Oh yes, a quick return to 2000. In the context of pointless but fun facts: the Marlboro Masters of Formula 3 in Zandvoort was won by Jonathan Cochet at the time. Who remembers him? And would he have been much less talented than Mick Schumacher?
