Schumacher wants to arrive in F1 as ‘complete driver’

Mick Schumacher says he wants to make the step up to Formula 1 as a “complete racing driver” and is keen to avoid rushing into the sport. 

The reigning European Formula 3 champion and son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher made his F1 test debut with Ferrari in the post-Bahrain Grand Prix this week.

Schumacher is competing in Formula 2 in 2019 and sits eighth in the drivers’ championship following the opening round in Bahrain after recording two top finishes, securing a best result of sixth place in the sprint race. 

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The German has been tipped for a bright future, with two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso among those predicting success for Schumacher. 

“Obviously it is my first year in F2 so we will see how it goes,” he said. 

“I want to arrive in F1 as a complete racing driver and being as prepared as possible and I think time will tell if that is next year or the year to follow. If that is next year or the years to follow it is how it goes. I am taking one step at a time.

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“I came into here to have fun and to enjoy it and I did that 110%,” he added. “I guess you can see that I am smiling a lot and I enjoyed a lot, especially those last laps. 

“With full power and everything it was just amazing, a complete feeling in the car, it was just amazing.” 

Schumacher was beaten to the fastest time on Tuesday by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, before he swapped teams to drive for Alfa Romeo on the final day of running, concluding two-day test sixth in the timesheets. 

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The 20-year-old believes the lessons he learned from his maiden F1 test outing will serve him well in his rookie F2 campaign.

“F1 is so complex,” Schumacher explained. “There are so many ways to see and learn about the car. To speak with them and try to take the information for myself really did help. 

“I learned so much that I can really use in F2 as well. I’ll for sure use every single bit of it.

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“Every single time I went out, I learned something new. I learned something new about how to drive the car, about the feeling I had in the car, the feeling I was looking for in the car really. 

“Braking was really hard to find the limit, the limit just got further and further into the corner. I was feeling like I could have braked at the 50 metre board at Turn 1, but obviously that’s not possible. 

“I was trying every run to go later and later, and it always went later. That’s why I say there is margin.” 

Schumacher revealed Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel has been providing him with guidance throughout the two-day test. 

“He has been very helpful, we’ve spoken about it and every tip I can get from him is good,” Schumacher said.

“I will try to use them and if they work for me I will keep using them but if not I will try different ones. He has been very helpful.”