Mick Schumacher joins Ferrari

Ferrari has announced that it has signed Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher, to its Driver Academy.

The 19-year-old won the 2018 European Formula 3 title after a strong run of form in the second half of the year where he took eight wins in 16 races. This year he will race in Formula 2 for Prema Racing, a team that has long had an association with Ferrari and its junior drivers.

“I am thrilled that Ferrari has entered a partnership with me and my next future in motorsport will be in red, being part of the Ferrari Driver Academy and also of the Scuderia Ferrari family,” said Schumacher. “Again, this is another step forward in the right direction, and I can only profit from the immense amount of expertise bundled there.”

“Be sure I will make everything to extract whatever helps me achieve my dream, racing in Formula 1,” he added. “It is more than obvious that Ferrari has a big place in my heart since I was born and also in the hearts of our family, so I am delighted on a personal level about this opportunity as well.”

Schumacher’s father joined Ferrari in 1996 and went on to take 72 of his 91 Grand Prix victories with the outfit. Following his first retirement from F1 in 2006 he remained with the team in a consultancy and testing role until 2010 when he joined Mercedes. The younger Schumacher also had a close relationship with the German brand, with Mercedes engines powering him to his F3 title.

“For someone like me who has known him from birth, there’s no doubt that welcoming Mick into Ferrari has a special emotional meaning,” said Scuderia Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto. “But we have chosen him for his talent and the human and professional qualities that have already distinguished him despite his young age.”

Schumacher joins a Ferrari Driver Academy that also includes Giuliano Alesi, son of Grand Prix winner Jean Alesi. Coincidentally, Michael Schumacher replaced Jean Alesi at Ferrari in ’96. Other drivers in the Academy for 2019 are Callum Ilott, Marcus Armstrong, Robert Shwartzman, Enzo Fittipaldi, and Gianluca Petecof.