While Mick Schumacher finished in the points again at the Austrian Grand Prix and finally seems to have arrived in Formula 1, World Championship leader Max Verstappen has to pay tribute to the high tire wear of his Red Bull. The FIA is also called upon to act on the fan issue. The findings of the Austrian GP.
1. Schumacher wins more than just points in Spielberg
Mick Schumacher scored points in a Formula 1 race for the second time in a row. After his premiere last weekend in Silverstone, the 23-year-old also ended up in the top ten at the Austrian GP and was happy about the championship points five to twelve.
“I think we’re completely satisfied with today,” said the German after crossing the finish line sky. “With the performance we have at the moment, hopefully there will be more races in the future where we can score as many points.”
In contrast to the previous week, where Schumacher delivered a race that was no less strong but much less conspicuous, the Haas driver also scored points this time with duels that were well worth seeing. Teammate Kevin Magnussen felt the bite of the German, as did McLaren driver Lando Norris and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).
The qualities that made him one of the strongest drivers in Formula 2 now seem to have finally found their way into the premier class of motorsport. “Everyone is human. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone is under pressure. And sometimes you make mistakes. That’s important for me to know. That I don’t have to be afraid to fight anyone,” he said of his bike, some of which is well worth seeing -on-wheel duels.
Schumacher: “As an athlete you need the pressure”
The pressure that had built up over the past few months due to the 23-year-old’s lack of results seems to have actually eased with the success in Great Britain. Both on the track and off it – in interviews or press rounds – one notices Schumacher’s newly gained ease and relief. This now seems to unleash athletic powers.
Above all, the knowledge that he actually has the necessary quality for this was torturous. “As an athlete, you need the pressure. It pushes you, it makes you fast. In a way, that made it.” The only thing missing for him until Silverstone was confirmation on the race track. Or as Schumacher put it himself: “I needed to finish in the points.”
The repeated points result is not only useful for Schumacher as a personal building block for future races. This also automatically increases the team’s trust in the Germans. While Magnussen was perhaps preferred over the past weekends because of his better overall performance in terms of strategy and track positioning, Haas now finally knows about Schumacher’s qualities and will take this into account at future GPs.
