Franz Tost has played down speculation Red Bull is preparing to announce a partnership with Ford. Tost said that he is determined that the Faenza based team he leads has a better season this year than in 2022 – which is why he even went to work on his recent 67th birthday. Indeed, the returning Nico Hulkenberg is the only German driver on the 2023 grid – with the fresh-faced star Mick Schumacher losing his race seat. “In the past, you wanted to see Michael Schumacher win, not the engine or the Mercedes car,” said Tost. Therefore, he says it’s imperative that 23-year-old Schumacher convert his new Mercedes reserve role into a return to a racing seat.

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