Mercedes have no plans to run Mick Schumacher in pre-season testing

Although Mick Schumacher is Mercedes’ official test and reserve driver for the 2023 season, he isn’t part of their pre-season plans. At least not out on track.

Dropped by Haas after two years on the grid, Guenther Steiner says Haas to push Schumacher more than he was able to push the team, Schumacher was handed an F1 lifeline by Mercedes.

Motorsport boss Toto Wolff didn’t take long to snap up the German, the second Schumacher to join Mercedes’ F1 team after his father Michael raced for the team from 2010 to 2012.

Schumacher, though, will have to wait for his turn to drive the soon-to-be-unveiled W14 as right now Mercedes have no plans to put him in the car during pre-season testing.

With that limited to just three days this year, Mercedes want Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to have as much time as possible out on track.

‘Test laps in the Mercedes are currently not planned,’ reports Auto Motor und Sport.

‘The three days of testing before the start of the season in Bahrain are, understandably, reserved for the two drivers so that they can familiarise themselves with their new car.’

That, though, is by no means a snub towards Schumacher as in recent years limited testing has meant the teams seldom run a reserve driver.

Last season Alfa Romeo gave Robert Kubica track time while Haas put Pietro Fittipaldi behind the wheel when they opted to part ways with Nikita Mazepin.

Confirming Schumacher’s signing in late December, Wolff said he believed the 23-year-old would be “ready” to step into car at short notice if need me.

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“We know that with two years of experience racing in Formula 1 under his belt,” he said, “we will be ready to step into the car at short notice to replace either Lewis or George, should that need arise.”

But other than that, the German will be spending time in the simulator helping to develop the W14 while also attending grand prix weekends.

Wolff told Sport Bild: “He’s already been in Formula 1 for two years, knows the tyres and the difficulties of the current generation cars. He will be super helpful in the simulator and in judging the car.

“It will help us to have him at the track in the debriefing room, for example. He is an incredible young driver. That’s why we definitely have a gain with Mick in our team.”

It remains to be seen whether Mercedes opt to put the driver in the W14 during a Friday practice session.

No young driver FP1 runs for Mick but he can still take part

Last season Formula 1 introduced a new regulation that meant every team had to run a rookie during a Friday practice session, two sessions to be precise.

That meant last season Mercedes’ test and reserve driver Nyck de Vries put in laps for Mercedes, Aston Martin, McLaren and Williams, the latter resulting in an Italian GP debut and a 2023 race seat with AlphaTauri.

Schumacher, though, won’t be permitted to take up any of those FP1 runs.

The rules state that a rookie driver is defined as someone who “may not have participated in more than two F1 World Championship races during their career”.

Schumacher therefore cannot do one of Mercedes or any of the other Mercedes-powered teams’ FP1 rookie runs but he can still take part in a FP1 session if they so wish, as Robert Kubica did for Alfa Romeo last year.