F1 News: Haas praise Mick Schumacher for "big step" in 2022

Mick Schumacher has been praised for his progression.

Mick Schumacher's future is one of the last question marks for the 2023 F1 grid, as Haas evaluates whether to award him a new contract.

Team principal Guenther Steiner has made no secret about his expectations for Mick Schumacher, emphasising that the 23-year-old must show progression to earn a new deal. 

Few would dispute his poor start to the season, with a lack of pace and a series of mistakes preventing him from equalling the pace of his more experienced teammate Kevin Magnussen. 

That said, few can overlook Schumacher's improvements as the year has progressed, particularly in the second half of the season. 

Haas's Chief Engineer Ayao Komatsu (as quoted by motorsport-total) has praised the youngster for overcoming his initial struggles:

"He always sits with the engineers and tries to understand what he did wrong and where he can improve on Friday night. 

"He always works hard. A season and a half since his debut, it has finally paid off. 

"He was always close to scoring points but couldn't get them, but when he got them at Silverstone, it was a big step. Yes, he's improved a lot this year."

These comments can only serve as encouragement for Schumacher, who is surely closer to achieving a contract extension with the American squad. 

Just last week, Sky Germany reported that contract negotiations with Haas began at the Singapore GP, suggesting at the bare minimum that Schumacher is still under consideration. 

It didn’t last long but that looked good 😍 pic.twitter.com/87l3aqcN8j

— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) October 9, 2022

A more optimistic interpretation would be that he has demonstrated he is deserving of a new deal. 

It would be a stretch to suggest that Schumacher is the finished article. Still, he is now matching Kevin Magnussen in qualifying and race trim on a relatively consistent basis.

Whilst there are some attractive options on the market, Schumacher's recent form surely puts him in a better position to guarantee his F1 future. 

It cannot be ignored that Nico Hulkenberg is still one being considered by Haas. Hulkenberg remains a strong option, having delivered strong campaigns for the likes of Renault and Force India in the midfield. 

Guenther Steiner and Gene Haas will ultimately be responsible for negotiating and making a decision, so it remains to be seen whether they will retain their current lineup for 2023.