Norisring/Germany, 1st July 2017 – The son of seven-time Formula 1 world champion was right at home in a kart from a very young age. “As a kid, I used to drive around our garden. I had a lot of fun doing that,” reveals the 18-year-old. Mick Schumacher made his official debut on the karting scene in 2008, and finished runner-up in the world and European championships six years later. By that point, however, he had already decided on his dream career. “At the end of 2012 I had to make a decision whether to take karting more seriously, or whether it was mainly just about meeting up with friends and having fun together. I decided to become a racing driver.”
Schumacher switched from karting to Formula 4, finishing runner-up in both the German and Italian championships in 2016. “The step up from karting to a Formula car required me to change my driving style. With that in mind, Formula 4 was the ideal entry class,” said the young driver, who primarily keeps fit on a racing bike, but is game to try anything to do with sport or exercise.
After two years in Formula 4, switching to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship was the logical next step on the career ladder for Schumacher. “The work is even more demanding here than in Formula 4. You have to work more intensely with the engineers, and the opposition is very strong. I am regarding this first year in Formula 3 as a learning year. My priority is to continue to develop. I am taking it one race at a time. However, I obviously always want to do my best. That is what motivates me.”
The 18-year-old already has a podium finish to his name, courtesy of a third place, and currently lies third among the Formula 3 rookies. He has had good experiences with the Hankook race tyres: “The Hankook tyres are different to the ones I was familiar with. However, I am coping well with them. Let’s just say: the Hankook tyres have no major problems with me.”
Schumacher is looking to improve in all areas as a racing driver in this season’s FIA Formula 3 European Championship, and wants to challenge for the title in the rookie competition. He also has a plan for the rest of his motorsport career: “My goal is to make it into Formula 1, and to be world champion.”
