Mercedes have named Mick Schumacher as their reserve driver for 2023, reflecting their confidence Lewis Hamilton will not spring retirement on them. Hamilton’s boss Toto Wolff had originally planned to enlist the experienced Daniel Ricciardo to fill the reserve role when he came on the market after his sacking by McLaren. At that stage, Hamilton was still coming to terms with the brutal manner in which he lost last year’s title, as well as working with a sub-standard Mercedes. So confident is Wolff of keeping Hamilton, who turns 38 in January, that he was content to see Ricciardo go to Red Bull and bring in a more conventional reserve, such as Schumacher.

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