Steiner has “no problem” with Mick Schumacher despite that after two seasons, Mick Schumacher and Haas have parted ways in Formula 1. Team boss Gunther Steiner affirms that the relationship with the German driver was not a bad one regardless of some poorly chosen comments in the German press which appeared to say he had a significant problem with Schumacher.
“I personally have no problem with the boy. The relationship was made worse than it was. It may not have been fantastic, but it certainly wasn’t bad,” said the South Tyrolean Italian said in an interview with Germany’s Sport Bild.
Steiner: “Hardly seen Mick”
In the past two years, Steiner and Mick Schumacher worked together in Formula 1 at Haas. They parted ways at the end of 2022 after the 24-year-old’s contract was not renewed. In the meantime, Mick Schumacher is active as a reserve driver for Mercedes.
“I hardly saw him. We said hello once in the paddock when we went in,” Steiner revealed about whether he was still in regular contact with Mick Schumacher. “I will certainly speak to him if the opportunity arises,” said the Haas team boss.
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Statement about Schumacher “was misunderstood”
Steiner also explained why he once said “you can’t flog a dead horse” about Mick Schumacher in an interview with the sports magazine.
“The statement about Mick was misunderstood. It’s a figure of speech in America. Because it’s called something dead, it sounds extreme. But I didn’t mean to say Mick was dead or anything. It was perhaps a clumsy statement because the translation in German was far too harsh and direct,” the 58-year-old assured.
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Looking back, he would “phrase it differently” today, Steiner said:
“I didn’t think about it at the time because for me it was a statement you make like that when you speak loosely in English.”
“If you know me, you have to deal with it,” the Haas team boss also said, “Mick never talked to me about it. It was also driven from the outside to make me look bad. I suppose you could say it differently and if people criticise that, I’m okay with it. I haven’t slept badly about it.”
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