“Tragedy” and “shame” as legacy in Germany built by Michael Schumacer crumbles, says ex-F1 boss
The legendary Schumacher still shares the joint-record for most F1 championships with 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton (seven), and was a mega-star that t♔ranscended his sport in the late-90s aꦯnd early-00s.
Today, there is no F1 German Grand🎶 Pri൩x, no major Germany-based team and no viable title contender from the country.
"In Germany, Formula 1 has regressed into a tragedy൩ for which every motorsport enthusiast can only be ashamed of himself,” ex-Mercedes boss Haug told .
“Between 1994 and 2016 there were German world champions like on an assembly line, seven titles by Michael Schumacher, four in a row by 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Sebastian Vettel and finally the last one by 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Rosberg in 2016 in the Silver Arrow.
“Mercedes won four drivers' world titles between 1998 and 2009 with its partner teams McLaren and Brawn GP with 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Mika Häkkinen, Lewis Hamilton and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Jenson Button, the Mercedes Silver Arrows works team becam🃏e constructors' world champions eight times in a row from 201ꦑ4 to 2021, taking six world titles with Hamilton and one with Rosberg.
“For a dozen years at the end of the 90s and in the 2000s, there were two Formula 1 races in Germany per year, in front of packed stands and over 100,000 spectators eachꦑ, and on [German TV] RTL watched by 12 million people instead of three million today.
“In 2010 there were seven German Formula 1 drivers in one season, today there is only 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Hulkenberg in a second-class team and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Mick Schumacher a hopeful reserve driver – but 🦹at least in the ♔right team.
“There hasn't beeꦛn a German Grand Prix for a long 🐈time.”
Co𝕴uld Audi’s planned arrival buck🌊 this downward trend?
“Audi, we have a problem, I can only say,” Haug said. “Audi, which will come to Formula 1 in 2026, Mercedes, the ADAC, the AvD, German sponsors and all so-called stakeholders should spit vigorously into their h𝓰ands, work with young talent and work together to ensure that the car nation Germany does not finally become the prey of the car haters, who disregard the fact that the prosperity in the country was generated to a large extent thanks to the automobile and its export successes and continues to do so despite all torpedoing attempts.”
Mick Schumacher remains Germany’s best hope of a future F1 star. He was dumped from the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:F1 2023 driver line-up ꦺby Haas and will instead be Mercedes’ third driv𒁃er.
"For Mick, in my opinion, this is⛎ indeed a real stroke of luck, and Mercedes would do very well to sign a German driver in its Formula 1 team,” Haug said.
“No💧thing is impossible if Mick approaches the tasks assigned to him in a focused, diligent and eager to learn, and that's exactly what I assume.
“He will seꩵize this learning and training opportunity with the very best and make what he can out of it. If everything works out as th🌊e parties involved imagine, everything is possible for Mick. But first: head down, talk little and work harder and learn a lot."
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything fro🐷m American sports, to football, to F1.
