Mattia Binotto teases Toto Wolff amid Mick Schumacher F1 future: "You should also ask him"

11/08/2024 09:43 AM

With Gabriel Bortoleto recently confirmed at Audi, Mick Schumacher's last chance to return to Formula 1 in 2025 has unfortunately faded. The former Ferrari Driver Academy member, who left Formula 1 at the end of 2022 after an underwhelming two years with Haas in terms of results, had hoped until the last moment to secure a seat for the coming season, but teams with remaining vacancies ultimately opted for other drivers.

While Alpine, with whom Mick competed in endurance racing this year, confirmed Jack Doohan, Mercedes bet on Kimi Antonelli, who will have the opportunity to develop with a top team at just over 18 years old.

The F1 Dream Fades for Mick Schumacher
Explaining why Audi chose Gabriel Bortoleto over Mick Schumacher, Mattia Binotto said: "We had several discussions with Mick, and he was certainly a strong candidate." – the former Ferrari team principal pointed out – "I know him very well from the past, and I'm aware of his strengths and perhaps his weaknesses. I certainly think he would have been a good choice. There were many candidates." – the Italian manager added.

"Sometimes it's necessary to make a certain decision, and I don't believe there's any reason behind it. We simply decided to choose Gabriel."

The former Ferrari team principal then playfully challenged Toto Wolff, who also passed on Mick Schumacher despite his long-standing ties to the Mercedes family: "You should ask Toto why he chose Kimi and not Mick. Sometimes you need to reach a decision and then make it. We made the decision to hire Gabriel, and we're happy." – he explained.

Finally, Mattia Binotto added: “The way he drives impressed me, especially, as I told him, his ability to develop, improve, and progress over the course of the season. He's doing this in his F2 season. The beginning was challenging, but he managed to stay focused on what he aims to achieve. He's shown progress this season, and that's what matters most to me."

"I believe he's not only a fantastic driver with high potential but also a great person. This is a very important aspect of our project. So, overall, I'm very happy to be here announcing Gabriel." – Mattia Binotto concluded.

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