Mick Schumacher proud to follow in his father’s footsteps as he prepares to make F1 debut. Mick proud to follow in his father's footsteps.

Formula One’s newest superstar Mick Schumacher has spoken of his pride at bringing the sport’s most famous name back to the grid, nine years on from his father’s retirement.

Michael Schumacher, until Lewis Hamilton matched him last year, was F1’s most successful ever driver, winning seven world championships, and now his son Mick is preparing to follow in his footsteps after signing a deal with Haas.

This weekend will see the 21-year-old compete in his first F1 race in Bahrain – at the same age his father made his debut – and Schumacher Jnr was quick to speak about his pride ahead of his debut. Asked how he is going to handle carrying his father’s legacy, he told the BBC: ‘It is motivation and pride. I am happy to be here… I am happy to have brought back the Schumacher name into F1. I have done it with championships on my back so we have proven I am able to drive a race car. So I don’t feel a blink of pressure from it.’

Mick Schumacher was behind the wheel for pre-season testing at the same circuit earlier this month, but the real hard work starts this weekend with the first race of the 2021 season. He is driving at a struggling Haas alongside fellow newbie Nikita Mazepin, with the pair having replaced Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean.

‘It’s an amazing feeling being with the team and knowing this is it and I’m getting close to my first race in F1,’ Schumacher continued. ‘I got my pass – you know, the proper red F1 pass – and I was like, “Woah!” I remember seeing my dad having one and I was always, like, I wanted one, but obviously I didn’t get one. I have one now and it’s amazing and I am really looking forward to it.’

Mick made an emotional decision at the start of the season to continue with his father’s legacy, opting for ‘MSC’ on the timing screens rather than the expected ‘SCH’.

During his father’s time in F1, there was another Schumacher on the grid – Ralf – and therefore ‘SCH’ wasn’t available, with Michael opting to take on ‘MSC’ instead.

Mick, of course, is now the only Schumacher in the sport and therefore had his pick of the initials – but opted to stick with his father’s lettering and use ‘MSC’.