Mick sees 'good sides and bad sides' of being a Schumacher

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Mick Schumacher naturally has the utmost admiration for his father, Michael Schumacher, but the young driver admits that following in a legend's footsteps "can be difficult".

The 19-year-old young driver has typically shied away from publicly talking about his seven-time world champion father since embarking on his own career in motorsport.

But in an interview with the FIA's official Auto magazine the newest member of Ferrari's Driver Academy accepted to offer a few thoughts on his father who remains out of the public view since his devastating 2013 skiing accident.

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"I am happy to be the son of the greatest F1 racer of all time," Mick said.

"I’m happy that he is the greatest F1 racer of all time, and I admire him for that. And even if sometimes it can be a bit difficult, it is what it is. There are good sides to it and there are bad sides.

"Having the support I have from a lot of people all over the world can’t be a bad thing. I am thankful for that."

Thanks to his good genes and the inspiration provided by his iconic dad, Mike Schumacher's path was likely laid out from the outset. Yet, he remembers the day his father asked him the all-important question.

"Racing and karting is quite a normal thing in my family and I always loved to go karting with my father," he said.

"It was big fun sharing that with him and I remember him asking one day if this would be a hobby for me or if I wanted to do it as a professional.

"I told him straight away I wanted to do it professionally. I never wanted to do anything else."

The reigning FIA European F3 champion will graduate to Formula 2 this year with the plum Prema Powerteam outfit that delivered the F2 title to Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in 2017.

Will Mick emulate the Frenchman in the next 12 months? Michael would likely respond with a resounding 'yes!'

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.