Mick Schumacher’s uncle has slammed Haas boss Gunther Steiner and team boss Gene Haas as the uncertainty about the 23-year-old German’s 2023 seat lingers on.
Nico Hulkenberg is believed to be close to signing to replace Schumacher next year, while another candidate - Ferrari’s Antonio Giovinazzi - drove the Haas in Friday practice in Austin.
The Italian promptly crashed (photo).
"I apologise to the team but the wind was the main problem," Giovinazzi is quoted by Sky Deutschland.
When asked if he had thrown away his best chance of securing Schumacher’s seat for 2023, he insisted: "I don’t think one thing makes a difference."
However, team owner Gene Haas says his biggest complaint about Schumacher this year is that all of his crashes had "cost a fortune".
Team boss Steiner agrees, insisting Haas needs more consistency from its drivers.
"We have to see what we want for the future," he said after Giovinazzi’s crash in Austin.
"We can’t keep making these little mistakes that hold us back over and over again in terms of development of the team. Then we’ll never make any progress."
Schumacher entered the paddock at the Circuit of the Americas on Friday wearing a Gunther Steiner-themed t-shirt, in light-hearted honour to his boss who became a star of the ’Drive to Survive’ Netflix series.
Mick’s uncle Ralf, however, was scathing when he was asked about Steiner’s latest comments about Haas needing to benefit from better consistency.
"I don’t know if he means the drivers or the team," the former F1 driver told Sky Deutschland. "I don’t understand what that’s supposed to mean.
"He should maybe listen to his own interviews, then he would notice it too. Because the team itself, apart from him and his boss, is doing a decent job.
"Both drivers at the team now are doing a good job and I think Haas would do well to stick with them.
"And if you’re so critical of the drivers, maybe use some self criticism as well. This is Formula 1, not Netflix."