Mick Schumacher believes his second season in F2 in 2020 could provide him with a specific edge when he hopefully graduates to F1 in 2021.
Schumacher's maiden campaign with Prema Racing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship yielded a race win in Hungary and a 12th place finish in the series' final standings.
Earlier this year in Bahrain, the 20-year-old son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher tested for Ferrari and Alfa Romeo.
Reports allege that the young German was subsequently evaluated by Alfa Romeo for a 2020 race seat, but Schumacher's results coupled with Antonio Giovinazzi's improvements ultimately decided the Swiss outfit to keep its 2020 driver pairing unchanged for next season.
"Clearly if you get the opportunity [in F1], you take it, so the opportunity hasn’t been there. That’s pretty open and clear," Schumacher told Motorsport.com.
"But then the next decision was to stay in F2. For me [it was] the most intelligent and most reliable decision I could take and category I could drive in."
In 2020, F2 will switch to 18-inch wheels, a move conducted a year ahead of F1's own change to the new-spec tyres.
Schumacher therefore sees an opportunity next year to collect some valuable knowledge and experience that will undoubtedly prove useful when he steps up to the next big level.
"F2 is going to have the new tyres next year [18-inch], which is going to be positive for me because that’s going to be for F1 in 2021.
"If then we manage to do the step, I would have a head start.
"Obviously it’s different but I think in a junior category it’s going to help me get more experience. Maybe also put me in a different position for next year."
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