Mick: Schumacher name won’t get me into F1

Michelle Foster
Mick: Schumacher name won't get me into F1

Mick Schumacher F2 pa

He sports arguably the most well-known name in Formula 1, Schumacher, but Mick says that won’t get him a place on the Formula 1 grid.

20-year-old Schumacher is eager to follow in his father’s footsteps and lined up on the Formula 1 grid, maybe even win a title or seven like Michael Schumacher did.

However, unlike some youngsters who have entered the sport in their teens, such as Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, Schumacher is walking a longer path.

The German will spend the 2020 season racing in Formula 2, his second season in the feeder series, and knows there is a lot riding on his performances.

“I am aware that if I want to become a Formula 1 driver, I have to perform well in junior categories such as Formula 2,” he told Argentina’s Infobae.

“No junior driver reaches F1 because their last name matters.

“That is not a guarantee.”

Schumacher, though, carries a huge weight of expectation on his shoulders, often compared to his father.

Even when he won his first Formula 2 races in Hungary last season, it was likened to Michael’s ability to race from pole to flag unchallenged.

Asked if the comparisons bothered him, he replied: “Not at all. My father is, in my eyes, the best racing driver of all time.

“If people compare me to him, I am very proud.”

Last year Schumacher was linked to a possible step up into Formula 1 with either Alfa Romeo or Toro Rosso.

Both proved to be just rumours.

He, however, is not getting carried away with the constant chatter.

“That’s something I don’t think about right now,” he said. “I am fully focus on the 2020 F2 season, which is very important to me.

“What happens after that is something we can discuss at some point in the future.”

He added: “Right now I focus completely on F2. This is the challenge that I am taking right now and I want to do well. I can’t wait for the season to start.”

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