Formula 1

Ralf suggests Schumacher’s presence could have changed Guenther Steiner’s treatment of Mick

Published

2 months ago

26/03/2023

Ralf Schumacher has suggested that if Michael Schumacher had been present, Guenther Steiner would have treated Mick Schumacher differently during his time at Haas.

According to Ralf Schumacher, the brother of the legendary Michael and uncle of the recently dismissed driver Mick, if Michael Schumacher, Mick’s father, were present, Guenther Steiner, the Haas team boss, would have treated Mick better.

Mick Schumacher was involved in a high-profile departure from the Haas team last season, which was documented on Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’. In the show, Haas boss Guenther Steiner was filmed criticizing Mick, and later faced allegations of bullying, which he denied. Ralf Schumacher, a former F1 driver, has been outspoken in his criticism of Steiner’s actions and recently told F1-Insider that his opinion has not changed.

Ralf Schumacher expressed his disappointment with how things turned out and believes that it’s regrettable that Steiner treated a young driver in such a manner, given his experience. He acknowledged the high-pressure environment in Formula 1 but felt that Steiner went too far. Ralf also stated that he is particularly troubled by the belief that if his brother, Michael Schumacher, was present, Steiner would have treated Mick differently.

According to Ralf Schumacher, the mere presence of Michael Schumacher would have been sufficient to influence Steiner’s behavior towards Mick. However, Ralf acknowledged that everyone has their own way of doing things. As Mick is family, Ralf is understandably unhappy with how Steiner treated him and made it clear that he does not tolerate mistreatment of his family members.

Michael Schumacher has been out of the public eye since his skiing accident in December 2013. Meanwhile, his son, Mick, has since taken on a role as the third driver for Mercedes, after being released by Haas.

Mick was involved in frequent crashes during his tenure at Haas, which caused financial implications and were a consistent source of frustration for Steiner.

Ralf Schumacher acknowledged that Mick’s performance in the first half of the season was not up to par and that he caused too much damage. He stated that there should be no issue with internal discussions about this matter.

Ralf Schumacher pointed out that other team bosses, such as Eddie Jordan and Frank Williams, may have had different approaches, but being tough on drivers is part of the job. He emphasized that drivers in Formula 1 must perform at a high level and that it comes with the territory to face criticism and pressure.

Ralf Schumacher’s main issue was with a statement made by Steiner in an interview where he said that Mick could leave if he didn’t like being with the team. Ralf felt that Mick did not receive a fair chance, despite his performance, which was evident in the Netflix documentary.

Steiner defended himself by claiming that his actions were not out of the ordinary, and that the team did not have to resort to bullying.

He also acknowledged that he understands Mick’s fans’ perspective and may have said something in the heat of the moment that he would have phrased differently later. However, he maintained that his actions did not constitute bullying.

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