Mick Schumacher taking to the skies to stay race sharp

Former Haas driver Mick Schumacher says he regularly jumps out of planes, using skydiving as a way to keep him 'race sharp' - a love that he picked up from his famous dad, seven time champion Michael.

Mick told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview in June that he had notched up something in the region of 1600 jumps over the years, having started at a very young age.

"I love doing it because it was something I shared with my dad," he recalled. "My first skydive, if I remember right, I was eight or nine years old. It was obviously a tandem jump.

"Basically, going up I did not really like it so much. And then my sister did it and I was like: 'Damn, if my sister can do it, now I have to do it!'

"I jumped out with my eyes closed, but I loved it so much I went back up again straight away," he continued.

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"When I was old enough, I went out on my own, that was when I was 16. I have 1600 jumps now and have a licence."

While Mick also undertakes the usual arduous gym sessions with his trainer, and loves to cycle for general endurance fitness, it's the skydiving that keeps him topped up with adrenalin.

"It is not only an opportunity for me to get to know my body better, you have this ordination of feet, hands, body, head and eyes, and what they do," he explained.

"It gives you an idea of what to do when racing, but it also gives you knowledge about weather and winds.

"Sometimes you might get pushed into a peculiar position so you have to act quickly. I knew how to do that from racing but it helps to emphasise it time and again, especially when you have no security around you like in a race car."

Mick's two-year tenure at Haas came to an end after the 2022 season, since which time he's been a Mercedes reserve driver and also competed in sportscars for Alpine, giving him some options when it comes to returning to F1 in the future.

"Working with Alpine is an opportunity for a team on the F1 grid to get to know me better. It allows me to be a more rounded driver and try different disciplines.

"It could help me," he suggested. "I still have a lot to prove. Someone with my background now, I would be able to bring value to a team.

"You have to go through tough times to prove what you are made of, but I can walk into the paddock and still have a smile and be motivated.

"I will continue trying until I succeed and I don't see any reason to give up. My focus is to get back to F1, that has been my dream since childhood and I will not give up on it.

"I don't think I need to go out and hand in a CV, people have seen what I have done," he added. "[But] if people knew how hard I was working, it would make their mind up in a different way."

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