F1 pundit shares rare Mick Schumacher praise from McLaren boss Zak Brown

F1 pundit Ralf Schumacher recently revealed how McLaren team boss Zak Brown praised former F1 driver Mick Schumacher after the latter tested for Brown's team at Portuguese circuit Portimao in July. The son of legendary Michael Schumacher is currently working as a reserve and simulator driver for Mercedes and was obliged to test for McLaren as well as part of his contract.

During 2022, when he was on the F1 grid, Mick Schumacher struggled quite a lot while racing for Haas. At the end of the season, he was removed from the team and was forced to leave the sport as no seats were available on other teams.

Speaking on Formel1.de's YouTube channel, Ralf Schumacher initially praised how hard Mick Schumacher is working for Mercedes behind the scenes on their simulator. Furthermore, he revealed that McLaren's Zak Brown came to him and praised his nephew after the test sessions at Portimao. Ralf said:

“You can see it now with what he’s doing in the simulator. Zak Brown came to me after he tested [at McLaren], and I don’t have much contact with Zak but before his interview, he came to me and said, ‘Man, I have to say, Mick did a great job in the test. I just wanted to tell you.’ That was a nice piece of information. So, I would find it a shame if he doesn’t get the chance.”

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Mick Schumacher's thoughts after testing for McLaren

After Mick Schumacher participated in the Pirelli tire test for McLaren at Portimao, he was quite satisfied with it. He stated how he was fresh after doing a tire test for Mercedes at Barcelona, hence, he felt up to speed for the next test. The 24-year-old appreciated the opportunity given to him and stated that he would love to do more tests for the British team.

McLaren quoted him as saying:

"I did the Pirelli test with Mercedes in Barcelona, so it is not like I was coming into this test super, super fresh. It is good for me to get as much driving in as possible, and that is why this day is an amazing opportunity for me. I wouldn’t say no to another test with McLaren."

As of now, Mick Schumacher is not getting a seat on any team for the 2024 F1 season. There is a strong chance that the young German driver could move away from F1 for a while, as there are reports of him being contacted by Alpine's WEC (World Endurance Championship) team to test their LMDh car.