Schumacher puts in the miles with McLaren at Portimao

©McLaren

Mick Schumacher was handed his first track day with McLaren at Portimao on Wednesday, a scheduled outing that was part of the team's reserve driver arrangements with Mercedes.

Schumacher - who was left without a seat at the end of last season following the Haas' team's decision not to extend the German driver's contract - is the Brackley squad's official substitute this year for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

However, as a Mercedes customer team, McLaren has access to Schumacher while it also has current IndyCar championship leader Alex Palou on its books as a potential reserve.

On Wednesday in Portugal, Schumacher was at the wheel of a 2021-spec McLaren MCL35M.

In a post on social media, McLaren said the test at Portimao was also an opportunity for the team's mechanic and engineering apprentices and interns to gain "valuable experience working in a trackside environment".

©McLaren

Schumacher will be in the UK on Thursday to prepare with Mercedes for next weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

A European races, Mercedes relies on the 24-year-old to help with set-up work in the outfit's simulator in Brackley on Friday evenings after the team's opening day of running at a venue to help fine-tune the car for Hamilton and Russell.

In Barcelona last month, both Mercedes drivers praised Schumacher for his contribution and ground work on race weekends.

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