Mercedes-Benz

MICK SCHUMACHER could reportedly quit Formula One after struggling at Mercedes.The son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher had long hoped to become a regular driver, however he appears to have had a change of heart.
Mick Schumacher could swap F1 for the 24-hour Le MansCredit: PA
He is the son of F1 legend Michael SchumacherCredit: AFP
Schumacher, 24, is a reserve driver for Mercedes but has struggled to get a chance behind Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
He is also a reserve for McLaren.
He has recently admitted that he was looking at alternative options.
However, he seems to have a more specific plan in mind, according to Motorsport Aktuell.
READ MORE IN F1
The report claims that the German driver could join the Alpine group and participate in the 24-hour race in Le Mans, France.
Alpine Motorsport vice president Bruno Famin is believed to have contacted Schumacher about taking a test drive.
Schumacher spent two years at F1 team Haas but left in 2022.
He was replaced by fellow German driver Nico Hulkenberg.
Most read in Motorsport
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Father Michael has not been seen in public since his horror ski crash in 2013.
His former team-mate Johnny Herbert suggested that his friends do not hear much “positive news” about the retired driver.
He said: “There’s never any news.
“What we do know is we never hear any positive news.
“That’s the horrible thought that he is still not able to be close to the Michael that we all remember. And that is very sad.” More

TOTO WOLFF says he missed out on signing Max Verstappen as a youngster – because he could not offer the Dutchman a guaranteed seat at Mercedes.Verstappen is poised to win his 11th race in a row at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix as he closes in on his third successive title.
Toto Wolff says he missed out on signing Verstappen as a youngsterCredit: Rex
The F1 stars could have been team-matesCredit: Getty
However, it could have been a different story had Mercedes boss Wolff managed to sign him up to the Silver Arrows before he joined Red Bull’s junior team in 2014.
Wolff says that back then, Mercedes were happy with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and without having a second team on the grid, could not promise Verstappen a space.
“Max was very good in karting, was good in F3, and it was clear that there’s a big one that’s growing,” Wolff told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.
“We talked to them in the initial phases, and it was a nice discussion with [dad] Jos and with Max involved as well.
READ MORE IN F1
“But it was clear that we couldn’t give him a seat because we had Nico and we had Lewis.
“We offered the support in F2 but, since Red Bull was able to offer them the AlphaTauri seat, or Toro Rosso back in the day, it got Max into the seat.”
Verstappen was offered a drive at Toro Rosso in 2015 while Rosberg unexpectedly quit racing the following year after winning the title.
And Wolff says he can’t be certain if Verstappen would have picked Mercedes had he not already joined Red Bull.
Most read in Motorsport
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
He added: “Maybe but, you know, if I knew where the stock market is next year, I would decide to invest in it or not.
“We would be very happy and rich people if we would know what happens 12 months on.”
Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo will be in Singapore for this weekend’s GP despite his broken hand.
The Australian underwent an operation after breaking bones in his left hand 20 days ago after crashing at the Dutch GP.
He is now undergoing rehab while helping the team with engineering duties while Red Bull’s reserve driver Liam Lawson fills in at AlphaTauri. More

LEWIS HAMILTON and George Russell gave fans a sneak peek into their preparation for the Singapore Grand Prix.The Mercedes F1 duo, who both recently signed new deals with the constructor, treated fans to a photo of themselves enjoying an ice bath.
Mercedes shared a photo of driver duo George Russell and Lewis HamiltonCredit: PA
But fans spotted a bizarre detail on Russell’s ice tubCredit: Instagram / @mercedesamgf1
Both Brits beamed with smiles while topless in the baths, with Russell also holding a Monster Energy water bottle for the soak.
However, eagle-eyed fans spotted a peculiar detail on Russell’s tub which was missing from Hamilton’s… inscribed initials.
The added detail left fans in hysterics, with one reacting: “George Russell is the type of guy to label his ice bath.”
A second said: “George really had to label his tub to tell which one is his 😭.”
READ MORE IN F1
“I’m so not surprised that George has labelled his ice bucket, he definitely labelled all his stationary at school,” remarked a third.
Another fan joked: “They look like 2 kids playing in the tub 😂.”
A fifth commented: “Lewis Hamilton thirst traps are back 😏.”
While a sixth typed: “With the heat in Singapore, they are going to need more ice!”
Most read in Motorsport
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
At the Italian GP, Russell and Hamilton finished P5 and P6 respectively.
Their Mercedes W14 has struggled for pace against top dogs Red Bull for much of the season.
But with Ferrari bolting out of the blocks after the summer break, Mercedes are far from secure in the race for P2 in the constructors standings.
A new look Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore awaits the upcoming weekend, with current weather forecasts expecting temperatures on race day to reach as high as 31 degrees Celsius.
Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

MICHAEL Schumacher should be stripped of one of his world championships, one of his close friends has said.Veteran journalist Roger Benoit took aim at the stricken legend’s on-track record – despite the two being pals.
Michael Schumacher is one of the greatest F1 times of all timesCredit: AP
Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher share a podiumCredit: Getty
The two drivers crashed in 1994 – handing the title to SchumacherCredit: Getty
Benoit – who reconciled with Schumacher in 2011 after years of feuding – said he believes the ace should lose his 1994 F1 title.
Schumacher currently stands alongside Lewis Hamilton as one of only two seven-time world champions.
They are the joint most successful drivers in the history of F1.
The German won his titles in 94 and 95, before going on an incredible five-year winning streak between 2000 and 2004.
READ MORE ON SCHUMACHER
Schumacher has however not been seen or heard since 2013 after suffering a catastrophic injury during a ski crash.
His family maintains strict privacy around his condition.
But for his pal Benoit, Schumacher’s first title is tainted after the racer’s infamous crash with Brit rival Damon Hill.
The two came together in the title decider, with Schumacher appearing to veer his Benetton into Hill’s chasing Williams.
Most read in Motorsport
Benoit gave a wide-ranging interview about his friend to German publication Blick and insisted on calling him a “six-time champion”.
He was often critical of the driver during his career, but the two became pals after Schumacher’s return to the sport in 2010s.
“Of course I know that he was world champion seven times. But the 1994 title should actually be taken away from him because he only won it because of his foul on Damon Hill,” said Benoit.
But despite this, Benoit still hailed him as one of the “greatest of all time”.
“I always had respect for his performance. The way he worked at Ferrari was unique,” he said.
“He was regularly in the box until midnight, an unbelievable work attitude. 
“And he still holds the record of 19 podium places in a row to this day.”
The two spent years not speaking before they reconciled after a chance meeting in the paddock at the Japanese GP in 2011.
“He walked past me. But after two meters he stopped, came back, hit my knee with his hand and said: ‘Let’s forget everything that once was. We’ll start from the beginning’,” said Benoit.
His comments come from ongoing controversy in F1 over retrospective championships.
Schumacher’s protege Felipe Massa is launching legal action to attempt to claim the 2008 title from Lewis Hamilton.
Massa believes he was robbed after the “Crashgate” scandal at the Singapore GP that year – something he believes unfairly cost him the title.
And meanwhile, there is ongoing lobbying from fans and controversy over the ending of the 2021 season, where Max Verstappen passed Hamilton on the final lap to win the title.
F1 bosses admitted “human error” meant the rules were not applied in the correct way during a final safety car period – potentially costing Hamilton his eighth world title.
Schumacher’s pal Benoit’s urging would see Schumacher drop down to six titles – and Hamilton take his place as the singular all-time greatest in terms of stats.
But when asked by  Blick to provide a specific update on Schumacher’s health, he refused and said: “No”.
“There is only one answer to this question and that is what his son Mick gave in one of his rare interviews in 2022: ‘I would give anything to talk to dad’,” he went on.
“This sentence says everything about how his father has been doing for over 3,500 days.
“A case without hope.”
F1 journalist and close friend Roger Benoit called Schumacher “a case without hope”Credit: PA
Following that skiing accident in the French Alps in 2013, Schumacher spent 250 days in a medically-induced coma in hospital.
Even since he was eventually permitted to return home, few have seen or visited him, and reports of the German’s condition are extremely rare.
Some friends and even family members have been kept in the dark by those closest to him in an effort to prevent leaks to the press.
Schumacher’s son, Mick, continued the family’s legacy of F1 drivers when competing for Haas in 2021 and 2022.
He is now a reserve driver for Mercedes.
Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, offered a small but powerful update on her husband’s health during the 2021 Netflix documentary about the German.
An emotional Corinna said: “Michael is here. Different, but he’s here, and that gives us strength, I find.
“We’re together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable.
“And to simply make him feel our family, our bond. And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will.
“We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“I have never blamed God for what happened. It was just really bad luck – all the bad luck anyone can have in life.
“It’s always terrible when you say, “Why is this happening to Michael or us?” But then why does it happen to other people?” More

LEWIS HAMILTON admits he could U-turn and quit Formula One – despite just signing a new two-year contract.The F1 legend insists he and Mercedes have “never been hungrier” as he dreams of a record eighth title – but adds his feelings “could change” at any time.
Lewis Hamilton is already thinking of his next contract but can’t say for sure if he will continue to feel that wayCredit: Rex
Hamilton, 38, believes he might keep going beyond 2025 as he wants to help Mercedes end Red Bull’s dominance.
But Max Verstappen seems certain to land a third straight crown for himself and RB.
And Hamilton accepts his priorities in life could shift – taming his motivation out on the track.
He told Sky Sports: “The goal within those two years is 100 per cent to be fighting and win a world championship.
READ MORE TOP STORIES
“We are second in the constructors’ championship right now and we want to dethrone those who are at the top.
“I have 100 per cent faith that we can do that.
“In terms of long-term, I’m thinking about my next contract – what that will look like, how long that will be. I plan to be here for a while.
“But it could change. I could come back next year and be like, ‘damn it’. Who knows?”
Most read in Motorsport
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Three-time F1 champ Sir Jackie Stewart, 84, has questioned both Hamilton’s desire and his ability to lift another title.
And although the Stevenage star says his fire for F1 still burns fiercely, he added: “You never know where you are going to be in life.
“But right now I’m very focused on staying positive every day. I know that’s not easy for anyone.
“Staying fit and healthy and trying to find that balance of enjoying yourself and your work – balance with family life and all those sort of things.
“I think I’ve got a pretty decent balance right now. That’s enabling me to really love what I’m doing.” More

LEWIS HAMILTON “no longer has the hunger” and will probably miss out on a record eighth world title, claims F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart.Hamilton, 38, has just signed a two-year extension with Mercedes worth £50million but last won the crown in 2020.
Scottish F1 icon Jackie Stewart believes the fire has stopped burning inside seven-time F1 world champion Lewis HamiltonCredit: Rex
Hamilton already knows he has no chance of winning this year’s titleCredit: Reuters
But Stewart fears “serious problems” are hampering his fellow Brit’s chances of being a serious contender again.
Max Verstappen is heading for a third straight title with his dominant Red Bull team.
And three-time world champ Stewart, 84, told Bild: “First of all, Lewis is one of the best to ever drive in Formula 1. 
“But the truth is that in the last decade he competed with Mercedes for a team that was virtually out of competition. 
READ MOE TOP STORIES
“During this time, Lewis only had one real competitor: his respective teammate. 
“Lewis no longer has that hunger. Because of that – and because the car is no longer quite as powerful – he has serious problems.”
Stewart reckons a better car is vital for Hamilton’s hopes of passing Michael Schumacher’s haul of seven titles with one more crown.
He said: “That also depends on Mercedes. It’s not impossible, but I still don’t think he’ll be able to do it. 
Most read in Motorsport
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
“And I don’t think – despite the rumours about Ferrari – that he will change teams again.”
Hamilton has achieved four podium finishes this season – in Australia, Spain, Canada and Britain.
But he has yet to win a Grand Prix this year and his total of 164 points leaves him a distant fourth, with leader Verstappen on 364. More