Mick Schumacher has given his chances of a 2021 F1 debut a big boost by taking the lead in the F2 championship at Mugello.
It comes amid strong rumours that the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher will make his F1 race weekend debut with a Friday practice session for Alfa Romeo at the Nurburgring next month.
"I'm sure we'll see him soon," smiled Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur.
The similarly Ferrari-powered Haas team's boss Gunther Steiner also told f1-insider.com: "We are now in the consideration phase.
"It is quite possible that we will occupy at least one car with a talented young driver."
Complicating Schumacher's chances are that fellow Ferrari development drivers Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman have also been impressive in 2021.
Nico Hulkenberg and now Sergio Perez are also on the market.
"I have great respect for Sergio," Steiner told BT newspaper, "but there are other riders at the same level.
"I have talked to all the potential drivers and have made a list for Gene (Haas) with about ten names.
"Our current two drivers are on the list, and you probably know two of the others as well," he added.
Kevin Magnussen, a current Haas driver who qualified dead last on Saturday, is probably nervous about his forthcoming discussions with the American team.
"It's always a pretty long and complicated process so I would be surprised if anything was signed within the next few weeks," the Dane said at Mugello.
