Mick Schumacher retains hope for F1 future: ‘It didn’t feel like my last race’

Despite his future being unclear, Mick Schumacher believes he has a place in Formula 1 and said the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix “didn’t feel like my last race.”

If it was to be Schumacher’s last race, he did not bow out on a high, finishing P16 whilst picking up a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Nicholas Latifi.

In their report of the incident, the stewards said Schumacher was “wholly to blame” after he braked too late into Turn 5 and ran into the rear of Latifi.

Looking back on the incident, Schumacher concluded that the lack of vision around the car played a part in his mistake.

“In general, these cars, very often you don’t really have a big overview of what is happening on the surroundings and the car, the tyres and the steering wheel is up in your face,” Schumacher told media including PlanetF1.

“I think he [Latifi] out-braked, went wide then came back on the track and I didn’t expect that. Just so frustrating in the end.

“I still managed to kind of get some good laps in, but by the end the tyres were just gone so a frustrating one, not the best.”

The incident rather summed up Schumacher’s season with small mistakes costing him big but despite this, he said he feels as if he has a future in the sport.

“I was surprised,” he said when asked if he felt any different emotions when entering the car. “It didn’t feel like the last race of the season and it didn’t feel like my last race.

“My mind is pretty much settled on coming back in ’24 if not earlier in ’23.

“I wouldn’t say I feel like [I am in a] position [for a full-time seat] but I do feel confident that I’ll be able to get something.

“I feel I’ve shown my pace and I know a lot of people are happy with how I’ve developed.”

The German was also tight-lipped about a potential reserve role with a rumour linking him with a move to Mercedes.

For now though, Schumacher ends the 2022 season in 16th place having not scored a point since the Austrian Grand Prix.

阅读更多:马克斯Verstappen: Letting Sergio Perez through wouldn’t have been ‘nicest way’ to finish