Mick Schumacher will follow in the footsteps of his illustrious father by making his Formula 1 debut this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit, and the young German just cannot wait to get started.
Schumacher will race for the Uralkali Haas F1 Team alongside fellow rookie Nikita Mazepin in an all-new driver line-up for the American team, and the twenty-one-year-old says he has settled in well to his new surroundings.
“My experience with the team has been good,” said Schumacher. “Obviously, we’ve had the FP1 session and the full weekend together before the test, the rookie day, in Abu Dhabi last season, which was really good.
“Now having had the first pre-season test with me being an official driver in the team, it’s been very nice – I feel super comfortable with the team. We’re working hard and I really feel everyone’s super motivated.
“That’s also then really motivating for me. I’m happy the season’s getting underway now and we really start the work.”
Schumacher says he is ‘super excited’ about making his Grand Prix debut this weekend in Bahrain, almost thirty years after his father, the great Michael Schumacher, made his own debut in the sport.
“Obviously, I’m super excited about the first race in Bahrain,” said the 2020 FIA Formula 2 champion. “Thinking about it, it’s thirty years since my dad started his first race, and now I’m starting mine.
“The fact that I’m in Formula 1 and away to be racing – it feels so amazing. I’m so happy that I’m finally there, finally able to race with everybody, and to show my potential working with a great team.
“I will learn and improve as a driver and as a human.”
“I’m happy, proud and really looking forward to it”
Looking ahead to the new season, Schumacher says he is looking forward to racing at Spa-Francorchamps in 2021, as well as experiencing the Suzuka International Racing Course in Japan for the first time in his career.
“I’m definitely looking forward to Spa (Belgium),” said Schumacher. “I think it’s one of the most iconic tracks to race at.
“Suzuka (Japan) as well, it’s a track I haven’t raced at yet. I’ve driven a lot of laps on it in a simulator so it’s definitely one of the tracks I’m most looking forward to on this calendar that I haven’t raced at.
“Obviously, there are many race tracks that I love, such as Monza (Italy) too. I’m happy to get to all of those tracks in a Formula 1 car and feel the speed in the car. I’m happy, proud and really looking forward to it.”
Schumacher says he has a lot of respect for the talent on the grid in 2021, such as the four World Champions in Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen, all of whom raced at some point against his father in the sport.
“I have a lot of respect for all of them both as drivers and as people,” said Schumacher. “It’s going to be nice starting on the same grid as them and being amongst the top 20 drivers in the world.
“I’m really happy about that. I’m just really happy that things are getting underway now and I’m close to starting my first season in Formula 1.”
