Formula 1: Mick Schumacher’s dream and Ferrari – Sport

In January in Fiorano, for example. Ferrari organized a big training week, of course Mick Schumacher was there. He wore red racing overalls, turned laps in a 2018 SF71H, and exchanged views with the engineers. It had long been clear that the 22-year-old would have his first season in Formula 1 in 2021, the motorsport series that shaped his father so much. Michael Schumacher won five of his seven world championship titles with Ferrari at a time when the teams were still able to test a lot. Knowing how often his father tested here and now to drive here himself “is of course very special and also emotional,” said Mick in January.

And now the chances have increased significantly that Mick Schumacher will not only be seen in tests, but also at Grands Prix in a current Scuderia Formula 1 car. He is still under contract with the US racing team Haas. For 2022, however, as Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has now announced, Schumacher has also been appointed as a substitute driver for the Italian racing team, together with Antonio Giovinazzi.

The Italian was employed by Alfa Romeo this season, but has now to give way to the Chinese Zhou Guanyu and will compete in Formula E in the future. Ferrari’s regular drivers remain Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Should either of them fail, Giovinazzi or Schumacher will step in. The former is reserved for twelve, the German for eleven of the 23 planned racing weekends. In the event of a deployment, Haas substitute pilot Pietro Fittipaldi would be deployed alongside Nikita Masepin at Schumacher’s regular racing team.

Sebastian Vettel praises Mick Schumacher

Why did you choose Schumacher, who remained without points in his first year in the premier class in the defeated Haas? “He’s a Ferrari driver, let’s not forget that. He’s part of our Ferrari Driver Academy,” said Binotto. The reason for the existence of the junior program is ultimately to discover future Ferrari drivers: “Mick has done well in the season, he has not only improved in terms of consistency, but also in terms of speed.”

Looking at the past races, he was “much closer to the cars in front”: “And Haas did not develop the car at all. That shows that he has improved.” What Binotto didn’t have to mention explicitly: Of course, since the first lap of Mick’s in motorsport at Ferrari, they have been dreaming that after Michael – with whom so much history, enthusiasm and glamor is associated – a Schumacher will drive for Ferrari again, who also has the Son of the icon.

Sebastian Vettel (left) in exchange with Mick Schumacher.

(Photo: Lars Baron / Getty)

The first season of the junior was shaped by arriving in the special world of Formula 1. The fact that he would stand out in terms of sport in his debut year was ruled out from the start. His company car was simply too slow compared to the competition. After the first races, he even revealed that it was “a torture to drive behind without a real chance of playing up front”. For him it was about not being the last and asserting himself in the internal duel between the youngest driver duo in the field. He succeeded. He crossed the finish line 16 times before Masepin, and in qualifying he was faster in 20 of 22 races. Schumacher achieved his best result in Hungary, starting from 20th place he was twelfth.

There were no points for it, but praise. For example from the four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. It is difficult to judge that given the losing company car, but those who looked closely like him noticed something: “He did an incredible job reaching the second qualifying round a few times with such a weak car, to show strong performances in the race “, the 34-year-old is quoted on the Formula 1 website. “Fighting against other cars that are much faster and then also sticking to them – that is a lot of effort.” Mick was “one of the first, if not the first” in the paddock every day and “one of the last to leave”.

In addition, Schumacher was a great asset to Haas and showed great interest in driving the team forward. Michael Schumacher was already well known for his pronounced meticulousness and talent in motivating. Especially during his time at Ferrari.

.
source site