Damon Hill thinks Haas should look at a more experienced lineup for 2023, as questions are asked over Mick Schumacher's future with the team. Team owner Gene Haas came out and said Schumacher costs the team "a fortune" after the German had two big crashes at the start of the season, prompting a verbal warning from Team Principal Gunther Steiner. With his future not secured for 2023, Hill believes that Haas should look at drivers that have proven to bring results home for the team and draws on the comparison with Sergio Perez and Red Bull. "Sometimes with a team like Haas, you need someone who can deliver for you," he told the F1 Nation podcast. "Think about what Perez did for Force India and Racing Point, and then eventually got his chance up at the sharp end. "What a solid performer; this is what these teams need, they need someone who performs can bring the car home, get the best of the opportunities. "Maybe for a team like Haas, that's actually what they would prefer rather than trying to find a 'hot shoe' driver." In terms of who that driver might be for Haas, there is speculation that Nico Hulkenberg could make a return to the team - something Hill says might be the right call if they want more consistency. "Mick is not a hot shoe driver, he's not a Max Verstappen, he might be very good and he might grow into [being one], but Hulkenberg is has got all this experience behind him. "That's the other thing that a team like Haas might be looking for."
Hill: Drivers who crash but are 'blindingly fast' get forgiven
Hill believes that drivers who have "blindingly fast potential" are forgiven if they crash more often, compared to drivers whose results are not consistent. "He [Schumacher] had a bit of a torrid start to the season didn't he when he got compared to Kevin, who came in and it was it wasn't going the right direction. "I think he had some strong performances in the middle of the season. But then he did do [wreak] another tub, I understand a chassis in the crash at Suzuka. "The problem is if you don't have blindingly fast potential, then you can't keep crashing the car and that's the problem that Gunter raised. "He wasn't anti Mick, he was costing the team a lot to keep him going. They're probably actually anywhere near the cost cap at Haas, but they're low on budget so they just can't afford to keep fixing things. "Gilles Villeneuve used to crash a lot, but he was so fast when he wasn't crashing that he was forgiven."
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