Todt on Mick Schumacher: 'Don't put the boy under pressure!'

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FIA President and former Ferrari boss Jean Todt is keeping a watchful eye over the progress of Mick Schumacher, the son of the ailing seven-time world champion.

Schumacher Jr is slowly but surely making a name for himself, moving up the junior ranks ladder as he graduates this year to the European F3 series where a successful campaign could put him straight into Formula 1.

Both Ferrari and Mercedes admit to be taking a keen interest in the young German's skills, but Todt believes the 17-year-old hopeful should not be put under pressure.

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"Mick's a wonderful boy, I have known him since he was a baby and I love this boy," Todt said while attending the Spobis sports business congress in Dusseldorf, where the Schumacher family-linked 'Keep Fighting' award was being handed out to Rio Paralympics Gold medal winner, Vanessa Low.

"I can only ask everyone not to put him under so much pressure. Mick is going to develop in his way, but he loves racing and in Formula 4 he has shown what he can do."

"He should be left alone to continue developing," the Frenchman concluded.

This season, Mick Schumacher will be racing in the European Formula 3 Championship with Italian outfit Prema Powerteam which guided Lance Stroll's successful march to the series' title in 2016.

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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.