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It’s mighty Mick’s turn

October 17 - 23, 2018
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Gulf Weekly It’s mighty Mick’s turn

Gulf Weekly Kristian Harrison
By Kristian Harrison

Mick Schumacher, son of legendary Formula One driver Michael, has clinched his first major championship and has set his sights on reaching the premier class.

He was described as having the potential to become ‘one of the sport’s greats’ after being crowned Formula Three European champion on Saturday, fuelling speculation of an F1 career.

“We will now think more intensively about next year and the decision will be made in the next few days,” Schumacher, 19, told the media.

His first F3 title means Schumacher has qualified for a FIA ‘super licence’, a prerequisite for the jump to Formula One, and follows on from his father, who won the German F3 championships 28 years ago.

With one F3 race left this season, the 19-year-old finished second in the day’s second race at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit to leave him with an unassailable lead in the championship.

“It’s hard to describe, I’m just grateful, I’m living my dream,” he said. “The title was my goal from the beginning, I never stopped believing it. We drivers do what we love. And, when it is successful, it is the best feeling you can have.”

Schumacher had been a picture of concentration in the final laps to hold second and secure the title, but punched the air after crossing the finish line.

Estonia’s Juri Vips took the chequered flag, but all the attention was on Schumacher, who dominated the second half of the F3 season after claiming five straight wins last month.

He hugged his team after finishing on the podium for the 13th time in 29 races this season. Before Sunday’s final race, Schumacher had 347 points, 51 ahead of Britain’s Daniel Ticktum, the only driver who could have caught the German. Schumacher had finished 12th in Saturday morning’s race after an early crash forced him into the pits.

“You could see that perhaps I wanted it too much or had too much adrenaline,” admitted Schumacher.

However, it’s what will happen next which is sure to have tongues in the paddock wagging. It’s an inevitability that cameras swarm when the name Schumacher is about. The presence of the German teenager with the famous name generated huge media interest in F3 this season.

After a mediocre start, things clicked in July, when he won at Spa in Belgium, to claim his first victory in the 15th of 30 races.

He then began a run of nine podium places of the next 12 races. In September he racked up five straight wins to seize control of the drivers’ championship and catch the attention of those in Formula One.

Born in March 1999, the year before his father won the first of five consecutive F1 world titles for Ferrari, Mick started his racing career in karting aged nine. To avoid attention he raced as ‘Mick Betsch’, using his mother Corinna’s maiden name.

He was on the piste with his father in December 2013 when an accident in the French ski resort of Meribel left Michael with serious head injuries. The 49-year-old has not been seen in public since as he slowly recovers at the family home in Switzerland.

In 2014, Mick junior finished the karting season second overall in the German, European and world championships. Finally racing under the family name, he stepped up to F4 racing in 2015.

With the spotlight permanently on young Schumacher, he was fiercely guarded from reporters’ questions by Sabine Kehm, his father’s manager.

In 2016, Schumacher junior finished second in both the German and Italian F4 championships and last year when he stepped up to the F3 championships he was 12th with just one podium finish. This season, however, he has been a revelation for Prema Theodore Racing, sparking speculation that he will race in Formula Two next season - or step straight up to F1.

Toto Wolff, the powerful head of world Formula One champions Mercedes, tipped the teenager for great things. “He has proven himself and can become a great in our sport,” he said.

In 2014, the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) named the first corner of its track after Mick’s father, the F1 legend who won a record seven world championships and 91 races.

In 2016, Mick became the first member of his famous family to drive around the Michael Schumacher Turn as he stormed to victory in two of the four MRF Challenge 2016 races held at the Bahrain Motorsport Festival.

Michael won the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004. He had strong connections with the BIC outside of his participation in racing and was directly involved in the early stages of the BIC’s development, offering his own input into the design of the track, including the layout of turn one which eventually was renamed in his honour.

Although it’s too early to predict how far Mick can go, it’s clear that he has plenty of natural talent and isn’t just dining out on his name.

In fact, his father’s legacy is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it brings far more media scrutiny and pressure on his career and progress than any normal teenager.

However, there’s no denying that the name has its benefits and has no doubt been instrumental in Mick landing seats in not only prestigious championships, but competitive cars within them.

I wish him the best of luck and truly hope he makes it in F1. Michael was a hero of mine growing up and I’m sure, as he continues his recovery, that he will be immensely proud of his son.

Innate talent is obvious, but it’s the wise head that impresses the most. Mick can barely give an interview without questions being asked of his father’s health and his future, yet he answers with a straight bat and is fiercely protective of his privacy.







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