McLaren to share F1 reserve driver Schumacher with Mercedes
Mercedes Formula 1 reserve driver Mick Schumacher will be also made available as a stand-in to McLaren, the Woking team has announced.
Schumacher found himself without a seat for the 2023 season after two tough years at Haas and the 23-year-old was snapped up by Mercedes as a reserve driver behind Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
McLaren has now announced that it will continue its arrangement of sharing reserve drivers with its engine supplier.
In previous years it had agreed a deal with Mercedes to call upon Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries in case it needed to replace one of its race drivers.
For the 2023 season Schumacher will be made available if either Lando Norris or rookie Oscar Piastri are unable to race.
Vandoorne, who now races for DS Penske in Formula E after winning last year's title with Mercedes, has moved to a reserve role at Aston Martin, while De Vries was brought in by AlphaTauri as a 2023 race driver.
De Vries made his F1 debut with Williams during the Italian Grand Prix as a replacement for Alex Albon, who was ruled out with appendicitis, finishing ninth.
Schumacher was promoted to F1 in 2021 after winning the FIA Formula 2 title and spent two seasons at the struggling Haas team.
Haas has since changed its strategy from relying on well-backed young drivers to experienced racers, with Nico Hulkenberg making a return this season alongside Kevin Magnussen after a three-year absence.
Mick Schumacher, Mercedes Reserve Driver
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Schumacher will get to work together with McLaren's new team principal Andrea Stella, who was his father Michael Schumacher's performance engineer at Ferrari.
Ferrari announced in the winter that Schumacher would be leaving the Ferrari Drivers' Academy for 2023 after four years together.
Haas became the first F1 team on the grid to unveil its 2023 livery, after it released renders online on Tuesday showing off a darker colour scheme to reflect its new title partner in MoneyGram.
Red Bull and AlphaTauri will be the next teams to reveal their new liveries at events in New York this week, while Mercedes will launch its 2023 campaign on 15 February.
Related video
Alonso "wouldn't accept" continuing in F1 at less than 100%
Why new look Haas is a litmus test for Formula 1’s new era
Vowles: Williams F1 team has got its "spark" back again
Vowles: Williams F1 team has got its "spark" back again Vowles: Williams F1 team has got its "spark" back again
Aston Martin's Bahrain F1 performance like Force India's in 2014 – Szafnauer
Aston Martin's Bahrain F1 performance like Force India's in 2014 – Szafnauer Aston Martin's Bahrain F1 performance like Force India's in 2014 – Szafnauer
The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job
The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job The art of compromise behind an "emotionally draining" F1 job
Starting numbers for the 2023 Isle of Man TT Superbike races revealed
Starting numbers for the 2023 Isle of Man TT Superbike races revealed Starting numbers for the 2023 Isle of Man TT Superbike races revealed
Harvick: NASCAR drivers’ code is “not what it used to be”
Harvick: NASCAR drivers’ code is “not what it used to be” Harvick: NASCAR drivers’ code is “not what it used to be”
KTM MotoGP bike ‘less physical’ than Ducati was, says Miller
KTM MotoGP bike ‘less physical’ than Ducati was, says Miller KTM MotoGP bike ‘less physical’ than Ducati was, says Miller
How Fallows has fostered an "Aston Martin way" to boost F1 team
How Fallows has fostered an "Aston Martin way" to boost F1 team How Fallows has fostered an "Aston Martin way" to boost F1 team
The cycle of F1 upheaval Williams must end to rediscover past glories
The cycle of F1 upheaval Williams must end to rediscover past glories The cycle of F1 upheaval Williams must end to rediscover past glories
The state of play in F1's technical silly season
The state of play in F1's technical silly season The state of play in F1's technical silly season
Ranking the top 10 pre-war grand prix drivers
Ranking the top 10 pre-war grand prix drivers Ranking the top 10 pre-war grand prix drivers
Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries
Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries Why drivers are the least of Ferrari’s F1 worries
How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side
How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side How Vasseur has begun Ferrari’s mission to keep Leclerc on side
Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself
Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself Why Red Bull’s biggest F1 adversary is now itself
How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri
How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri How "only tough" Tost's public lack of trust could hurt AlphaTauri
What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight
What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight What Perez's Jeddah joy means for F1’s 2023 hopes for a real title fight
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.