Mick Schumacher
, the son of the legendary Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher, recently opened up on how his father’s tragic accident ten years ago has shaped his life. The insights come as part of Matt Whyman’s book, “Inside Mercedes F1,” which sheds light on Mick’s journey in motorsport and his father’s enduring influence.
Michael Schumacher’s life changed dramatically on December 29, 2013, when he suffered a severe head injury while skiing in the French Alps. The accident occurred in the off-piste area of the Méribel ski resort, where he was skiing with his son Mick and friends. The F1 legend was airlifted to a hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma for six months. Since awakening from the coma, Michael has been kept from public view, with his care strictly managed by his wife Corinna and the family.
Reflecting on his father’s influence, Mick shared:
“I was a crazy kid – everything my dad did, I did. I started karting aged three. I was six when I first went scuba diving. Aged ten I was skydiving. My dad was always very open to me trying out whatever I wanted to do and racing is all I wanted to do, because I enjoyed it the most.
He was really supportive and a lot of fun, but could also be challenging. One time in a karting race I braked very late going into a corner and gained a lot of time. When I told him about it, he said, “Yes, but you should have braked like that in every corner!
“Whenever he felt like I was not taking it seriously, he would say, ‘Mick, would you rather go and play football with your friends? If so, we do not need to do all of this.’ I insisted that I wanted to race and he said, ‘Okay, then let’s do it properly’. So we started doing more European karting and I was getting better.”
After the accident, Mick began his racing career in Formula classes, relying on the skills instilled by his father.
“I started racing in the Formula classes the year after (the accident) and from that point onwards, I had to find my own feet. But I definitely learned a lot of technical points from him that I still use today, as well as from his coaching. And I have always been very resilient.”
Michael has left a strong legacy, particularly within the Mercedes F1 team, where Mick now serves as a reserve driver.
