LONDON: Mick Schumacher will continue to provide back-up to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell after Mercedes confirmed on Wednesday that he will remain as the team’s reserve driver next year.
The 24-year-old German, son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, has been in the role since he lost his full-time seat on the Formula One grid after he was dropped by Haas following the 2022 season.
“Happy and grateful to be a reserve driver for Mercedes next year,” said Schumacher. “It is good to stay connected with this great team in F1.”
Schumacher, who spent two seasons at Haas, starting 43 races and scoring points on just two occasions, will combine his Mercedes commitments with racing for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship next year.
Mercedes said: “Delighted to confirm that Mick Schumacher will retain his reserve driver role with the team for 2024.
“We’re excited to see Mick continue to contribute to our team alongside his new challenge in the FIA World Endurance Championship next season.”
Mick Schumacher to stay on as Mercedes F1 reserve driver
https://arab.news/czg7z
Mick Schumacher to stay on as Mercedes F1 reserve driver
- The 24-year-old German has been in the role since he lost his full-time seat on the F1 grid
- Mercedes said: “We’re excited to see Mick continue to contribute to our team”
Sanders crashes out of Dakar Rally contention and Al-Attiyah reclaims car lead
- The Australian’s KTM finished 28 minutes behind stage 10 winner Adrien van Beveren’s Honda
- Al-Attiyah has a sixth Dakar triumph in sight
BISHA, Saudi Arabia: Dakar Rally front-runner Daniel Sanders crashed and fell out of motorbike title contention and Nasser Al-Attiyah snatched back the car lead in the Saudi desert on Wednesday.
Sanders broke his left collarbone and sternum jumping a dune 138 kilometers into the 368-kilometer second half of a marathon stage to Bisha. The defending champion continued but slower and within 30 kilometers his six-minute overnight lead was gone.
The Australian’s KTM finished 28 minutes behind stage 10 winner Adrien van Beveren’s Honda and he dropped from first overall to fourth, more than 17 minutes back, two minutes off the podium.
That left the title to be decided between new leader Ricky Brabec and Luciano Benavides, second and third on the stage. The American’s Honda and Argentine’s KTM were separated overall by 56 seconds ahead of, effectively, a two stage shootout. The final stage on Saturday is usually a ceremonial ride.
Brabec won the Dakar in 2020 and 2024 while Benavides has never won; best placing was fourth last year.
Al-Attiyah has a sixth Dakar triumph in sight.
The dunes specialist from Qatar stamped his authority on the sandy special to finish second to Mathieu Serradori, who gave South African manufacturer Century its first Dakar stage win.
Serradori won his second career stage by six minutes.
The Fords of Nani Roma (first overnight), Carlos Sainz (second) and Mattias Ekström (fifth) were the biggest losers.
Ekström was first to the checkpoint at 91 kilometers but moments later suffered a mechanical problem. Roma lost his way and dropped 10 minutes just before passing 200 kilometers. Sainz also made a navigation error in the soft sand.
“I’m knackered, my back hurts, I suffered a lot today,” Roma said. “But that’s part of the game.”
Also, Toyota’s Henk Lategan, fourth overnight, ran out of fuel and made a navigation error.
Al-Attiyah grabbed the provisional overall lead about 200 kilometers into the 420-kilometer special and topped a Dacia 2-3-4 stage finish with Sébastien Loeb and Lucas Moraes.
“My head and body have taken a real beating,” Al-Attiyah said. “But we really attacked from start to finish. Fabian (Lurquin, navigator) did a great job and we can feel both happy and lucky because it was really hard.”
Overall, Al-Attiyah earned his biggest lead yet, over Lategan by 12 minutes, Roma by nearly 13 and Loeb by 23. Ekström and Sainz fell more than 34 minutes back.
