The Spanish GP didn’t turn out the way Mercedes had expected. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in the W14 were debuting a new diffuser in Barcelona on Friday (in addition to a new floor, front suspension, and side pods they tried in Monaco the previous weekend). Friday’s running ended with both drivers flustered and barely managing to break into the top 10. While Russell was hopeful of a better Saturday, Hamilton wasn’t as sure. But Mercedes turned its weekend around, all in a matter of a few hours. And it all came down to Mick Schumacher.

Mick Schumacher is Mercedes’ third driver this season. And as far as his job role is concerned, working on the simulator is a crucial aspect of it. The simulator is where drivers try different technical setups in various conditions to see what works best for them and the team. After an underwhelming Friday with new upgrades, Mercedes knew it had to spend time on the simulator to salvage its weekend. And that it did.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell praise Mick Schumacher for his simulator work

Friday running in Barcelona for Mercedes wasn’t a very good representation of their new upgrades. And things didn’t look good for them, but according to Russell, “We know that we’re not Friday specialists, and we often take a bit of a step forward on Saturday and Sunday.” And Mercedes took a significant step on Saturday, improving their chances on Sunday.

Barcelona, which has historically been a good track for Mercedes, stayed true to its past, and Mercedes scored its first double podium of the season—with Hamilton in second and Russell in third. But it wasn’t as much the track as it was its third driver that helped it achieve this feat. Mick Schumacher spent hours together on the simulator to find the proper setup for the team, and it paid off.

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While talking to Sky Sports after the race, Hamilton appreciated Schumacher, saying, “we did a great job overnight. We have a great team, with Mick returning to the simulator on Friday night and did a great job, which helped us get on the right track on Saturday.” Russell, too, expressed how Mick and the team “did their job well past midnight to help us with the setup and to get a good window for the race.”

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Even though Schumacher isn’t actively participating in F1, he is still a crucial member of Mercedes. Nevertheless, he wants to return to a seat sooner rather than later.

Can Schumacher secure a seat in 2024?

Apart from praise from the two drivers at Mercedes, Mick also received praise from his uncle, Ralf Schumacher. He said, “Mick decides which direction to develop the car in, and his feedback is extremely important to the team. He can demonstrate that he knows how to put into practice what he does in the simulator on the track.”

Mick got the opportunity to drive the W14 in Barcelona for Pirelli’s 2024 tire compound test. While doing so, he helped Mercedes and Pirelli gather vital data for the next season. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff believes Mick deserves a seat in F1, but he isn’t too sure he’ll get back to one in 2024. Most teams have drivers until the end of 2024, so all Mick can do right now is wait for opportunities that might open up.

Watch This Story: Lewis Hamilton Gets Past Flashbacks Against George Russell at the 2023 Spanish GP

After his sim work and track running in Barcelona, may an opportunity present itself earlier than expected?