MICK SCHUMACHER has shot straight to the top of Haas’ wishlist after the Formula One team failed to offer Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean new deals.
Schumacher is currently leading the Formula 2 championship and, if he wins it, the rules mean that he cannot remain in the series.
Schumacher, the son of seven-time world champion Michael, is part of the Ferrari academy but the Italian team have already signed Carlos Sainz to partner Charles Leclerc next season.
So Ferrari will look to park the German at either Haas or Alfa Romeo in 2021 so he can get some F1 experience.
Haas have now cleared the decks in the hope of securing Schumacher’s signature, although other options include Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, British racer Callum Ilott and Nikita Mazepin, the son of Russian billionaire Dmitry Mazepin.
Haas’s decision to ditch their current line-up was not unexpected.
The team, which is based in Brackley, is currently in ninth place in the constructors’ championship after a difficult season.
Frenchman Grosjean, 34, has been with Haas since the team entered Formula One in 2016 while Dane Magnussen, 28, joined the following year from Renault.
Team boss Guenther Steiner said: “I want to extend my thanks to both Romain and Kevin for their hard work and commitment to Haas F1 Team over the past few seasons.
“Romain was a fundamental part of our establishment as we sought to get a driver onboard with both speed and experience.
“His results in early 2016 were a just reward, not only for his own talent, but also for the sheer amount of effort the team had put in to be on the grid that season.
“When Kevin joined a season later, we saw an immediate return with both cars scoring points, and of course, our first double points finish in Monaco that year.
“We have a lot of good memories together – in particular our 2018 season when we finished fifth in the standings in only our third season.”
