Daniel Ricciardo may have an earned reputation for having the cheeriest disposition of the current crop of Formula 1 drivers, but since joining the series last season, Mick Schumacher has quickly gained a reputation for being one of the more wholesome personalities on the grid.
From his visibly close relationship with mentor Sebastian Vettel off the track, to new Haas team mate Kevin Magnussen only having good things to say about working alongside the 23-year-old since rejoining the team, to how Schumacher is regularly spotted enjoying casual evening chats in the paddock with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jnr. It seems that everyone is a fan of Mick.
But despite his apparent popularity, Schumacher remains one of the most enigmatic drivers on the grid. Perhaps understandably, given his family history, the second-year driver has always kept his cards close to his chest with the media.
So when RaceFans had the opportunity to sit down with Schumacher and select media prior to the summer break, it was a rare chance to try and learn more about the Haas driver, who not long ago finally secured his first points in Formula 1.
Halfway through what Schumacher had previously described as not being a “real” second season in the premier class of motorsport – his first having been spent in a deliberately underdeveloped car – how would he assess his 2022 so far?
“If I exclude [Britain and Austria], I think it has been a tough season so far,” admits Schumacher.
“But, on the other hand, we had those two races which kind of turned it around. So I think that we’re quite confident that we have that pace. Also maybe we did before, but we were just a bit unlucky to show it at the time.”
Securing his first points with a strong drive to eighth at Silverstone was a huge relief for Schumacher and his team, but also especially for his loved ones. There are no louder and more passionate Mick Schumacher fans than his family – as so charmingly demonstrated by his sister Gina congratulating her brother over his radio after taking the chequered flag in Silverstone.
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“I think the benefit is that I have a great family,” he smiles. “I have great support from them and I think that’s the biggest point. I’m grateful and I’m lucky to have such great parents.”
While it could have been so easy for Schumacher to grow up with a…
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