Mick Schumacher still doesn’t know what his future holds ahead of the Formula 1 race in São Paulo on Sunday, meanwhile his Haas team-mate Kevin Magnussen amazes with the first pole position of his career. The biggest talk in the paddock is summerised below.
Kevin Magnussen will not forget this season. First Haas brought him back, then the Dane also delivered surprisingly strong races. The crowning glory: Magnussen now finished first in qualifying and, aided by an interruption after an accident, snatched the first pole position of his career – it was also the first for Haas.
Boom from Denmark
“I came back this year after a year out and it’s just been an incredible journey,” said Magnussen, finding his feat “unbelievable”. Team boss Günther Steiner said proudly, “Kevin delivered the lap when we needed it. That was really strong.”
Micks’ search for ‘plan B’
Mick Schumacher was unable to make an impression by finishing last in qualifying. But he wants to be a regular driver for Haas in the coming season. However, the US racing team continues to play for time in the driver question. So what would be a plan B for the son of record world champion Michael Schumacher?
According to “Auto, Motor und Sport”, the 23-year-old would be a candidate as a replacement driver for Mercedes if Daniel Ricciardo decides against the job with the Silver Arrows. The Australian has to leave McLaren at the end of the season, but is also considered a potential stopgap at his former team Red Bull.
Schumacher could learn from a multiple world champion racing team at Mercedes and be available as a reserve driver for customer teams.
Mercedes sponsor crashes
The crypto industry has long been advertising with and in the pinnacle of motorsport. However, the world of blockchain technology is in trouble. The trading platform FTX has now filed for bankruptcy. What does this have to do with Formula 1? FTX had become a sponsor of Mercedes in 2021.
The Silver Arrows reacted to the crash at the Grand Prix in São Paulo and suspended the cooperation. So, too, were the logos removed. FTX is suspected of misappropriating client funds, among other things, according to the securities regulator in the Bahamas, where the group’s international business is based.
Ferrari legend dies
Mauro Forghieri was a legend at Ferrari. As the Scuderia’s technical director from the 1960s onwards, the engineer designed racing cars that were second to none. The result: 54 Grand Prix victories and eleven Formula 1 World Championship titles. Forghieri died on Monday at the age of 87.
The Formula 1 team now commemorates him. The man, who was also called Furie because of his temper, is honoured with a sticker on the cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. “Ciao Furia” (Goodbye, Furie) is written on it.
