F1 News: Mick Schumacher vs Nico Hulkenberg for the 2023 Haas seat

The battle for the final seat on the 2023 seat continues

Guenther Steiner and Gene Haas will determine the final piece of next year's F1 grid as Haas evaluates whether to retain Mick Schumacher or sign Nico Hulkenberg. 

Haas kicked off this year's silly season by replacing Nikita Mazepin during pre-season testing. The American squad will now conclude a year filled with significant movement in the driver market. 

Schumacher's obstacles

Few would have considered Mick Schumacher a driver at risk of losing their seat when 2022 began, but the 23-year-old's future in Formula 1 is hanging by a thread. 

Schumacher's start to the season was below standard, committing a series of significant mistakes and generally lacking the pace of his teammate Kevin Magnussen. 

Gene Haas has already spoken about the financial consequences of Mick Schumacher's early shunts, with Guenther Steiner emphasising that Schumacher needs to become more consistent. 

There is no denying Mick's slow start to the season, but there has been significant progress since then.

Alongside his points finishes in Britain and Austria, Schumacher has closed the gap considerably to Magnussen. 

The comfortable edge Magnussen once enjoyed over his German counterpart in qualifying has almost evaporated in the second half of the season, with the deficit in race trim also reducing sizably. 

However, this progress will not be sufficient for Schumacher to earn a new deal, with Haas outlining that points - and nothing less - will be required in the season's final rounds. 

Magnussen's top-10 finish in America will only increase the pressure for Mick to score points, despite the VF-22 becoming less competitive since the summer break.

It would be a stretch to say that points can guarantee Schumacher's future, but a strong points haul would exponentially increase his chances of staying with Haas.

When considering that Haas's competitiveness has gradually declined this year, it would be fair to suggest that the target set out for Schumacher is unfair. 

After all, Magnussen's points in COTA were the team's first since Austria.

That said, Schumacher will have to deal with the cards dealt to him, and his future (by virtue of being behind the wheel) is ultimately still in his hands. 

Still, the harsh reality of Schumacher's situation is that Haas is hesitant to offer him a new deal and is clearly doubtful about his long-term prospects within the team.

Hulkenberg's case

There has been plenty of backlash on social media towards the idea of Hulkenberg making a return, with phrases such as, 'he had his chance' and 'he's blocking a young driver's seat' often hurled on social media. 

Hulkenberg certainly had his chance, but the question is whether he proved himself a capable driver in this period. The simple answer? Yes. 

The 35-year-old can be criticised for failing to secure an F1 podium, but this criticism is hollow considering that podium finishes from midfield drivers (much like this year) were rare before 2020. 

The only objective way to analyse Hulkenberg is by looking at his points tallies. Specifically, his points relative to his teammates. 

In this respect, Hulkenberg was consistently one of the best in the midfield. His 2013 campaign with Sauber, 2014-16 campaigns with Force India and three-year spell with Renault all demonstrate his ability. 

Outscoring the likes of Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez is no easy feat, yet Hulkenberg proved capable of holding his own against high-calibre drivers. 

It would be a stretch to describe him as one of the best in F1, but the German driver's record is undoubtedly good enough for Haas. 

Some might raise concerns about age impacting his performance, but his cameo performances in 2020 and early this year show zero indications that he will experience any noticeable decline. 

Whilst the frustrations regarding Schumacher's season are valid, it would be unfair to describe Hulkenberg as undeserving of another shot in F1. 

Ultimately, Haas is in a position where they have two good options moving forward. They must choose their next step.