Coulthard: 'If Schumacher doesn't beat Mazepin, he has a big problem'

Next year Mick Schumacher will make his F1 debut with Haas. The American team has chosen to go into the 2021 season with two rookies, because Nikita Mazepin is also going to make his debut. According to David Coulthard, this is going to be an interesting battle, as there are bigger plans around Schumacher.

"Haas is a safe place for him to learn. I don't expect him to have a lot of trouble beating Mazepin, but if he doesn't, he'll have a big problem," Coulthard explains in conversation with Express Sport. "If he beats Mazepin, which is what I expect, he will be driving at Ferrari or another team in a couple of years' time."

Schumacher to Ferrari?

Because, according to Coulthard, a possible seat at Ferrari for Schumacher depends on the line-up for 2021. "It's all up to Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz." Yet Coulthard does expect Schumacher to be back at the top of motorsport in the years to come. "I have seen his progress in the smaller classes. He is a focused, fit and hungry driver."

"He has his own personality, but he always manages to put himself at the front of the championship with all the support and opportunities he gets. You can give someone a very good car or a very good team, but if they don't have the skills, a driver won't do anything with that either," Coulthard concludes.