Schumacher, Ilott in FP1 limbo
Ferrari is set to wait until December’s
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before handing
Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott their Formula 1 free practice run-outs after poor weather forced the cancellation of their planned debuts at last weekend’s
Eifel GP at the Nurburgring.
Ferrari Driver Academy members Schumacher and Ilott were set to drive for Alfa Romeo and Haas respectively, but rain and fog meant the medical helicopter was unable to take off from the Nurburgring and all Friday running was cancelled, dashing their hopes of getting out on track.
The wait for their belated FP1 debuts will be a long one for Formula 2 championship leader Schumacher and title rival Ilott (below), because the roster of upcoming circuits complicates practice running for teams. All of the next three races are taking place on tracks that have not hosted F1 recently – the Algarve
Circuit, Imola and Istanbul Park – while Imola’s Emilia Romagna GP weekend will also take place across just two days. As a result, Ferrari F1 boss Mattia Binotto does not expect to be able to reschedule their planned running until the end of the season.
“It’s obviously a shame for them, it would have been a great opportunity here to make their debuts in F1,” said Binotto. “Obviously we may try to rearrange in the next races, but it will be very difficult. I think the next one, Portimao, a new circuit for everyone, for F1, so I think our top drivers will need to practice as well.
“We’ve got Imola, which is only a Saturday and Sunday, and then to Turkey again, ‘new’ circuit. And then it’s Bahrain, where they’ve got their F2 races, and to conclude the championship, so they need to be focused. It is very likely the next opportunity now will be Abu Dhabi and not earlier.”