Sebastian Vettel Says Haas F1 Officials Need to Lighten Up on Mick Schumacher

Haas F1 Team principal Guenther Steiner should back off public criticisms of struggling team driver Mick Schumacher.

That comes from Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel, a close friend of his former mentor Michael Schumacher, whose 23-year-old son Mick now drives in Formula 1. Mick, however, is not proving to be an instant sensation in the sport. Mick is scoreless in his first 29 F1 starts and has finished on the lead lap just two times in seven starts this season.

Pressure is now building on young Schumacher's shoulders following a spate of public criticisms by his Steiner.

"Criticism is justified in this regard," four-time F1world champion Vettel told European media outlet Bild newspaper. "But they can't keep on at him. They also need to say something when things go well."