Mika Hakkinen believes Mick Schumacher’s F1 career isn’t over, but he must secure the right connections to make a comeback.
Mick Schumacher’s Formula 1 career may not be entirely over, according to Mika Hakkinen.
More than 20 years ago, Hakkinen, a two-time world champion, battled Mick’s father, Michael, for the world title.
Speaking at the Laureus Awards nominations announcement—where McLaren F1 and Max Verstappen are contenders—the 56-year-old Finn emphasized that Mick, now focusing on the WEC after losing his Haas seat in 2022, could still have a chance to return to F1.
“He has experience in Formula 1. He has experience in various categories. He is young. These are all good things in his favor.”
“But Formula 1 is a very tough environment. You make three or four mistakes, and if you crash the car, it’s not good for the team. Teams don’t like that. They don’t like spending so much money to repair your car.”
“Mick had some issues that were very damaging to his career. But he still has a chance to come back. The door is open. He just needs to find the right people to talk to.”
Hakkinen admits that the young Schumacher might have survived his first two years in the sport back in the day.
“When I was racing, I was taking more and more risks in Formula 1, and I also had accidents. But at the time, I had team principals who supported me. As a driver, you try to make the most of the situation and take risks.”
“The team principals didn’t ask me to drive slowly and bring the car home safely. They told me to push the throttle! But now, you have different structures, a different budget, and less money available. The money you spend on repairs is money you can’t use for further car development.”
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Hakkinen: F1 Door Still Open, But Schumacher Needs Key Contacts Hakkinen: F1 Door Still Open, But Schumacher Needs Key Contacts
