Press Release

  • Motorsport

Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

The FIA Formula 3 European Championship reaches the halfway point of the season at the Norisring. The 19 drivers from twelve different countries have contested twelve races so far in what is probably the toughest junior Formula series in the world. Once the young drivers have completed this weekend’s three races at the only street circuit in Germany, at the heart of Nuremberg, they will embark on the second half of the season. Still to come are a further five destinations in Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Germany. Premium tyre maker Hankook has been supporting the promising youngsters with its Ventus Race tyre since 2012. One of these drivers is Mick Schumacher, who is making his debut in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship this season.
Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

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.”

Hankook Tire manufactures globally innovative, award-winning radial tyres of proven superior quality for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, trucks, and buses as well as motorsports (circuit racing/street circuits/rallies).

Aspiring to bring consumers the utmost excellence in product quality, technological excellence and driving satisfaction, Hankook Tire continuously invests in research and development maintaining five R&D centres and eight production facilities around the world. Bespoke tyre solutions for the European markets as well as European Original Equipment according to the requirements of leading premium car manufacturers, are developed in the company’s regional Technical Centre in Hanover/Germany. Production for the European region is taking place in the state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Rácalmás/Hungary which was inaugurated in June 2007 and is continuously being expanded.

Hankook Tire’s European headquarters are located in Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt am Main in Germany. The manufacturer operates further branches in several European countries and sells its products through regional distributors in other local markets. Hankook Tire employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide and sells products in over 160 countries. The company has been the technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier of the Generation 3 for the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship since 2023. Internationally leading car manufacturers rely on tyres made by Hankook for their original equipment. Approximately 38 percent of the company's global sales are generated within the European region.

For more information please visit www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com or www.hankooktire.com

Hankook Tire Europe GmbH | Marketing Communications Europe | Siemensstr. 14, 63263 Neu-Isenburg | Germany

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Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

Start of the race, 34 Jake Hughes (GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 - Mercedes-Benz) taking the lead from 3 Maximilian Günther (DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 – Mercedes-Benz), 5 Pedro Piquet (BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 - Mercedes-Benz), 31 Lando Norris (GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 - Volkswagen), FIA Formula 3 European Championship, round 5, race 1, Norisring (DEU), 30. June - 2. July 2017

File size: 3 MB

Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

Motorsports: DTM race Budapest, Saison 2017 - 3. Event Hungaroring, HU

File size: 1 MB

Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

25 Mick Schumacher (DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 – Mercedes-Benz), FIA Formula 3 European Championship, round 4, race 2, Hungaroring (HUN), 16. - 18. June 2017 *** Local Caption *** Copyright (c) FIA Formula 3 European Championship / Thomas Suer

File size: 2 MB

Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

25 Mick Schumacher (DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 – Mercedes-Benz), FIA Formula 3 European Championship, round 5, Norisring (DEU), 30. June - 2. July 2017

File size: 1 MB

Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

25 Mick Schumacher (DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 – Mercedes-Benz), FIA Formula 3 European Championship, round 4, Hungaroring (HUN), 16. - 18. June 2017

File size: 1 MB

Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

25 Mick Schumacher (DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 – Mercedes-Benz), FIA Formula 3 European Championship, round 4, race 2, Hungaroring (HUN), 16. - 18. June 2017 *** Local Caption *** Copyright (c) FIA Formula 3 European Championship / Thomas Suer

File size: 1 MB

Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

34 Jake Hughes (GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 - Mercedes-Benz), 3 Maximilian Günther (DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 – Mercedes-Benz), 5 Pedro Piquet (BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 - Mercedes-Benz), 31 Lando Norris (GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 - Volkswagen), FIA Formula 3 European Championship, round 5, race 1, Norisring (DEU), 30. June - 2. July 2017

File size: 2 MB

Mick Schumacher – on his way to the pinnacle of motorsport with Hankook tyres

Start of the race, 34 Jake Hughes (GBR, Hitech Grand Prix, Dallara F317 - Mercedes-Benz) taking the lead from 3 Maximilian Günther (DEU, Prema Powerteam, Dallara F317 – Mercedes-Benz), 5 Pedro Piquet (BRA, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F317 - Mercedes-Benz), 31 Lando Norris (GBR, Carlin, Dallara F317 - Volkswagen), FIA Formula 3 European Championship, round 5, race 1, Norisring (DEU), 30. June - 2. July 2017

File size: 3 MB

Contacts

Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Sabine Riedel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-178

Lisa Schmid

PR Manager Marketing Communications

+49 (0) 6102 8149-172

Alexander Nevinny-Stickel

PR Manager Marketing Communications

+49 (0) 6102 8149-173

Annika Malcherek

Annika Malcherek

Digital Lead Marketing Communications

+49 (0) 6102 8149-176

Stefan Prohaska

Stefan Prohaska

Digital Marketing Communications

 +49 (0) 6102 8149-171

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