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Mick Schumacher could be set to make his debut behind the wheel of the Mercedes W14 in the days following this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
After joining at the start of the 2023 season as a reserve driver, Schumacher is set to get behind the wheel to take part in a Pirelli tire test, according to a report from the German outlet Bild.
The session is set to take place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in the days following the race on the weekend, George Russell is set to be on duty on Tuesday, with Schumacher set to take the stint on Wednesday.
Exactly how far the driver will have to cover is yet to be revealed and will depend on the testing conditions on the day, however, it is expected to be around 500km.
His dad, Michael Schumacher, is a seven-time world champion that also drove for Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton between 2010 and 2012, adding some sentimental value to his upcoming test.
So far with Mercedes, Schumacher has only tested in simulators, whilst also being in the paddock on race weekends whilst on stand-by in his reserve driver capacity.
This test presents a good opportunity for Schumacher to put his hard work in the simulator to good use on the track. The simulator is good practice but they can’t be 100% accurate, with discrepancies between that and driving the real car.
Toto Wolff and other team principals will be keeping a close eye on Schumacher, as the German looks to make a return to the grid for the 2024 season.
The driver was linked with a move to Williams followin
g Logan Sargeant’s poor start to the season, however, nothing developed from the rumors, leaving his future in the sport up in the air.
The German spent two years racing for Haas prior to joining Mercedes before he was replaced by the experienced Nico Hulkenberg ahead of the 2023 season.
Haas team principal Guenter Steiner made the decision to drop Schumacher after the German made a number of high-profile mistakes that cost the team millions.
One of his biggest errors was in Monaco where Schumacher spun a few times before hitting the barrier and essentially splitting his car in half.
Despite not being able to secure himself a full-time seat for 2023, Schumacher has spoken highly of his time at Mercedes, praising the positive experiences he has had since joining the team.
Featured Image Credit – ATP Images
