Sports
Steiner Advises Alpine Against Schumacher Signing, Suggests Top Talents Instead
Guenther Steiner advises Alpine against recruiting Mick Schumacher, suggesting they should opt for the top driver instead, especially for their team lineup with Pierre Gasly in 2025.
Ex-Haas F1 chief Guenther Steiner has recommended that Alpine steer clear of appointing Mick Schumacher as a potential successor to Esteban Ocon.
On Monday, Alpine declared that they will be ending their association with Ocon when the season concludes.
Several individuals have been mentioned as potential candidates for the open position, among them is the up-and-coming racer, Jack Doohan.
Valtteri Bottas, from the Sauber team, has been discussed as a potential choice, and Schumacher, presently competing with Alpine in the World Endurance Championship, is considered a less likely option for the position.
Schumacher raced for Haas under Steiner's leadership for a duo of years before being replaced by Nico Hulkenberg.
The duo's relationship was tense, with Schumacher alleging that Steiner did not fully back him.
Steiner became irritated with the frequency of Schumacher's notable crashes and the involvement of his inner circle, especially via the media in Germany.
On the Red Flags podcast, Steiner mentioned that Alpine might consider Carlos Sainz or Yuki Tsunoda as potential recruits, while he rejected the idea of bringing Schumacher on board to team up with Pierre Gasly.
"Currently, that's not the case," he explained. "It's crucial to secure the most skilled driver available, someone who has demonstrated exceptional talent. Being a factory team, it's imperative to strive for excellence."
Regarding Ocon, there have been rumors of potential transfers to either Haas or Audi.
Steiner was requested to share his opinion on Ocon following the incident involving Gasly in Monaco.
"Clearly, it's on your mind, without a doubt it's on your mind, because it's simply something undesirable," he further stated.
"I often emphasize that being team-mates doesn't require being best friends or dining out together, but it does demand mutual respect. After all, respect for others is a fundamental principle in life."
"If you're not happy sharing the team with this driver, feel free to leave. When I find myself in a place I don't enjoy, I simply leave. I prefer not to cause conflict or trouble for others, including the team."
"One of them ought to have declared, 'I can't be part of the team alongside this individual,' and perhaps another person should have noticed that. It's common knowledge that there's a longstanding issue between the two, extending even to their parents, who reportedly had to separate them."
"That’s not the ideal situation when you’re saying, ‘Oh, we will be teammates, sure, everything’s fine, we’ve only been battling for the past 20 years, but now everything's fine', you know?"
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