F1 Analysis: Mick Schumacher's F1 lifelines
Mick Schumacher's wait for a contract extension from Haas continues as the 23-year-old fights to keep his F1 career alive.
Whilst Schumacher's situation is far from certain, there are still several avenues that can secure his future for next year and beyond.
Haas Extension
Guenther Steiner has given little away regarding Schumacher's future with Haas, only revealing that several options are being evaluated to partner Kevin Magnussen next year.
Despite the American team's hesitancy to offer him a contract, there is reason to suggest that Schumacher has earned an extension.
Schumacher's development this year is evident, considerably reducing the gap to his teammate Kevin Magnussen in qualifying and race trim.
It remains to be seen if Haas decides to replace him next season, but Schumacher's chances of continuing with the team are still reasonable.
The Williams Option
Williams is the only team alongside Haas without a confirmed 2023 lineup, only revealing at this stage that Nicholas Latifi will not continue with the team next year.
With Nyck de Vries committed to Alpha Tauri, academy driver Logan Sargeant is the most obvious option for the Grove-based team.
However, Sargeant is yet to secure the necessary Super License points for a full-time F1 drive. The American must finish 5th or above in the Formula 2 standings to compete in Formula 1 next season.
Sargeant is currently third in the standings, but there are seven drivers within 25 points of him, so there is still the possibility he falls short of this target.
In this event, Schumacher is very likely to join Williams. CEO and Team Principal Jost Capito has already told Sky Germany that Schumacher is being considered for next season:
"We also have to see what the other teams are doing. We also have contacts with the other team bosses, and you know relatively well what's going on in the background.
"Mick is very fast and a good guy."
This is no guarantee for Schumacher, as many teams have already mentioned him as a driver they are observing. However, in this case, the 23-year-old is almost certainly near the top of Williams' list of candidates.
If Sargeant is unavailable, then Schumacher has a near-guaranteed seat with Williams. Even if Sargeant secures the necessary Super License points, there is always the chance Williams will take the conservative route and opt for Schumacher.
Audi - The Long Shot
This section is the most speculative, but it is still worth considering Schumacher's prospects beyond 2023.
Audi's 2026 F1 entry is now confirmed, validating speculation about the team's interest in joining the sport.
All indications suggest that Audi will join forces with Sauber, an idea reinforced by Alfa Romeo announcing they will part ways with Sauber at the end of 2023.
This development creates many possible scenarios, including an Audi takeover of Sauber in 2024.
Although Audi intends to join F1 in 2026 with their own power units, they could still enter beforehand and take over Sauber before the next major regulation change.
If this scenario unfolds, it is difficult to imagine Audi would overlook Mick Schumacher.
Audi has already expressed interest in signing German drivers to their F1 team, and Schumacher would still be active in the driver market if they make an early entry in 2024.
This final hypothesis is certainly on the speculative side, but it serves to demonstrate the variety of options available to the 23-year-old.