Rubens Barrichello recalls Mick Schumacher asking him about “a good moment" with his father, Michael Schumacher
Rubens Barrichello recently recounted a heartfelt moment from his interaction with Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick Schumacher. The 53-year-old former teammate of the German racing icon revealed how Mick asked him to recall a fond memory of his father.
Barrichello, who had raced alongside Schumacher during his dominant years with Scuderia Ferrari, reflected on the connection with his former teammate. The Brazilian motorsports icon also recounted one of his interactions with Mick, who currently races alongside his son Eduardo in the FIA World Endurance Championship series.
Sharing his thoughts in an interview with PokerScout, the 11-time Grand Prix winner recalled telling Mick Schumacher a story about his father during their active years together in racing.
"Of course, I don't ask him about Michael's [Schumacher's] health, because the hardest thing for the family must be that people ask about it so often. I don't want to be intrusive," Barrichello recalled.
"There was a lovely moment when we met with Mick and he asked, 'Tell me about a good moment you had with my father.' I told him a story that made him laugh. It was a very nice moment. I wish Mick all the best because he definitely has the talent to drive,” he added.
During their active years at Ferrari, Barrichello and Schumacher formed one of Formula 1’s most successful partnerships in history, with the Brazilian often playing the support role to the German champion.
Mick Schumacher’s father, Michael, has largely been out of the public eye after suffering a devastating accident from a skiing injury in December 2013. The seven-time world champion is reported to have been receiving care at his family home in Geneva.
Rubens Barrichello speaks on Mick Schumacher returning to Formula 1
Rubens Barrichello also weighed in on the possibility of Mick Schumacher returning to Formula 1. The Brazilian motorsports icon stressed that the limited seats available could pose a challenge to the possibility of the 26-year-old returning to the open-wheel racing series.
Barrichello, who himself spent 18 years racing in the series, also stressed that the young German boasts the talent to race in Formula 1. Sharing his thoughts with PokerScout, the 53-year-old stated:
“I wish Mick all the best because he definitely has the talent to drive. F1 in the 1980s, we had 36 cars, which gave plenty of drivers the opportunity to get a chance in the sport. When you have 20 cars and a lot of people with cash, it makes it very difficult for the likes of Mick to get back into F1.”
Mick Schumacher had a brief two-year stint with the Haas F1 team, which largely culminated in a flurry of mixed results leading to his ousting following the conclusion of the 2020 campaign. The German driver has since been eyeing a return to the series, and growing reports have linked him with a move to join the Cadillac F1 outfit.
Whether a return to Formula 1 with Cadillac will materialize remains to be seen, but the young Schumacher, while he seeks his return to F1, currently races in the World Endurance Championship with the Alpine Endurance Team.