Guenther Steiner cautions Alpine against signing Mick Schumacher as Ocon's replacement

In a bold statement, former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has advised the Alpine F1 team against signing Mick Schumacher as a replacement for the outgoing Esteban Ocon. Alpine recently announced their decision to part ways with Ocon at the end of the season, sparking speculation about his potential successor. 

Among the names circulating are junior driver Jack Doohan, Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas, and Schumacher, who is currently competing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine. Schumacher’s candidacy is a contentious issue, particularly for Steiner, who had a tumultuous relationship with the young driver during their time at Haas. 

Notably, Schumacher was dropped by Haas in favour of Nico Hulkenberg after two challenging seasons marred by several high-profile crashes and tensions exacerbated by the interference of Schumacher's entourage and the German press.

Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner suggested that Alpine should consider other options, such as Carlos Sainz or Yuki Tsunoda, rather than reuniting with Schumacher. "At the moment not, no," Steiner said when asked if Alpine should sign Schumacher. "You need to get the best driver you know is out there. I think people who are showing that they’re very good. And as a works team, you need to do the best you can.”

“Just go somewhere else”, Steiner’s bold comments on Ocon 

Steiner's comments come at a critical time as Alpine evaluates its options for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, speculation about Esteban Ocon's future includes potential moves to Haas or Audi. Steiner weighed in on the recent clash between Ocon and his current teammate Pierre Gasly in Monaco, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect among teammates.

“Obviously you think about it, absolutely you think about it because it’s just something you don’t want,” Steiner remarked. He underscored that while teammates do not need to be friends, they must respect each other to avoid detrimental conflicts within the team. “If you don’t like to drive with this guy in your team, just go somewhere else. If I don’t like to be somewhere, I move on. I’m not trying to fight it at the cost of somebody else, which is the team.”