Mick Schumacher ‘doesn’t want’ a switch to DTM

Haas racer Mick Schumacher has said he has some options on the table for 2023, but ruled out any chance of a switch to the DTM series.

There’s no chance of Schumacher making an appearance in the DTM series in 2023, according to the about-to-be-former Haas racer.

After months of speculation about his future, Haas confirmed Schumacher will step out of his cockpit at the conclusion of the 2022 season – the American-based squad have signed experienced Nico Hulkenberg in his place.

Now facing an empty calendar in 2023 as there’s no chance of finding an F1 seat elsewhere without some extenuating circumstances elsewhere, Schumacher has been linked with a reserve role at Mercedes.

Williams driver Alex Albon, who was Red Bull’s reserve driver in 2021, kept his racing skills sharp by racing a Red Bull-backed Ferrari in Germany’s DTM championship, but this isn’t a move Schumacher is going to emulate.

“No, just no,” Schumacher told media, including PlanetF1, at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when asked about whether he’d be interested in racing in the category.

Pressed for a reason as to why he wouldn’t be interested in joining the category in which his illustrious father Michael made a handful of appearances in when he raced for HWA and Zakspeed in the early 90s, Schumacher said: “Because I don’t want to right now.

“I want to stay in this [F1] paddock. Whatever comes around, I’ll have to obviously have a look at it. But, right now, DTM is especially not the same as it was in the past anymore. Right now, it’s not an option.”

As for what his 2023 plans may be, the German driver said there are options on the table for him in F1.

“There have been multiple talks,” he said.

“I’ve been in touch with different teams and it’s just now elaborating what options I have to then pick the right one for me.”

Schumacher finished in 16th at the conclusion of his final Friday with the Haas team, and revealed he didn’t feel the VF-22 was handling particularly well in any areas at the track.

“Not great. I think the car didn’t feel amazing out there,” he said.

“We struggled a bit in high speed but then also, in low speed, it wasn’t amazing. So not the best of both worlds for sure. So we have to see what we can do to improve it. I think we’ll have to drop a bit of aero, looking at the top speed of the other guys so hopefully we’ll be able to match them.”

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