Mick Schumacher claims he doesn't feel any pressure to carry his family name
Mick Schumacher recently admitted that, unlike popular beliefs, the main pressure he faces as a driver does not necessarily come from being the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. He emphasized that most of the pressure and stress he faces comes from the expectations and standards he sets for himself.
As reported by BUNTE.de, Mick Schumacher admitted that there was a time when he used to use other names to be able to race under the radar. However, that is no longer the case. He said:
"In the beginning, I used different names to be able to race undetected and improve without being disturbed without being too exposed to the 'son of' label. Honestly, I don't feel any pressure to carry that family name or to do exactly what my father did. Most of the stress comes from me, from what I impose on myself, from thinking about what I did wrong and how I can improve."
The German added:
"I never saw my father as just the 'greatest driver in the world'. He is always my father first and foremost."
Despite having failed to secure a seat in the sport for the 2023 season, he remains optimistic about his prospects of returning to the F1 grid. He said:
"I won't stop until I've reached the top step of the podium. I'll spray the champagne and laugh and celebrate with my team."
In December 2022, Mercedes announced that Mick Schumacher would be the reserve driver for the team in the upcoming season.
Mick Schumacher confirms that he is "not interested" in racing outside of F1
Mick Schumacher recently confirmed that he is fully focussed on regaining his place as a full-time driver on the F1 grid. As the pinnacle of motorsport, F1 tends to be the ultimate goal for most racers, and that is certainly the case with the 23-year-old.
Speaking to GPFans, Schumacher was rather confident about the prospects of his return to the grid. He said:
“I’m for sure not going to drive anything else as of right now. I’m simply not interested in that. If you get the taste of the best there is, you’re not going to settle for anything else and so definitely I’ll be sticking around in the paddock.”
Mick Schumacher finished the 2022 F1 season 16th in the drivers' championship.