Schumacher Jr. Secures European F3 Title

[Paul Jeffrey]

Mick Schumacher takes the European Formula Three championship title with one race remaining at Hockenheim this weekend.

19-year-old son of legendary seven-time World Champion Michael, young Prema F3 driver Mick Schumacher produced a blinding end to his second season in the highly competitive series, stealing away the drivers’ championship from pre-season favourite and Red Bull youngster Dan Ticktum, a remarkable fightback in what has been an exceptional end to the year for the German driver.

Schumacher started 2018 much like he ended 2017, struggling for consistent form in the Mercedes powered Prema run Dallara, the driver with the famous surname having failed to seriously live up to the legend established by father and uncle in Grand Prix racing.

Round five of the season at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps would prove to be a turning point for Schumacher however, the German securing his first Formula Three win and suddenly blossoming into a noticeably more mature and composed driver as he and the team turned the screws in the championship fight. With Schumacher now flying from the new found confidence of his first win, the following 14 races would see the winner’s trophy handed over to Schumacher on no less than seven occasions, enough to secure the title with one race remaining… firmly pushing the Schumacher name once again into the motor racing spotlight, and dashing Formula One promotion hopes of the slightly wayward Dan Ticktum of Motorpark VW.

“I am so very grateful for being able to experience this, to live my dream and to have such a strong team behind and around me - that title is because of and for them” said Schumacher on Social Media following second position and championship success on Saturday afternoon.​

We worked so hard all season - maybe at the start of the season it didn't look the way it is now, but we were able to progressively improve everything we worked on," added Schumacher.

"The team gave me so much support all year long, even in the lowest moments."​

It remains to be seen what is next for Schumacher Jr, with rumours of a potential chance at Toro Rosso strenuously denied by Red Bull. It is expected that a potential drive in either Formula Three or the recently rebranded Formula Two championship could be the most realistic option for the newest FIA motorsport champion.

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Do you think Schumi Jr. has what it takes to make it to F1? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!​

 

[Cristian Haba]

Congrats, the young man has a bright future ahaea. His father would be proud.

 

[NASCRAP]

He'll soon get his chance to ram into people to win titles in F1 -- just like Daddy.

 

[mrbungle83]

He'll soon get his chance to ram into people to win titles in F1 -- just like Daddy.

7 world championships best to have ever lived, only Lewis has a chance to beat him. Legend of the sport yea that was a dirty trick so maybe he should have had six but he did break his leg one season and that absolutely definitely 100% cost him a title so perhaps that was his carma. Anyway hope the legend recovers he is my all time F1 hero good look to Mick.

 

[InsaneOzzie]

He'll soon get his chance to ram into people to win titles in F1 -- just like Daddy.

Typical small minded comment......I'd like to see you do better TROLL.

On a more positive note, I watched some of the F3 racing and although Schumi Jr had a hard battle in race 1 resulting in contact with his team mate, he fought back from 18th to finish 12th in a lap reduced race.
Having to live under his fathers reputation would be putting extra pressure on the young man to perform at the pointy end of the field, but from what Ive seen he has some talent behind the wheel.
Young Schumi certainly put a spanner in Dan Ticktum's works, frustrating the young gun from the middle of the season.

 

[Amanda]

Schumi was a genius and one of the best drivers in the world, but he was also one of the dirtiest.
I wish Mick the best of luck and fun in his career, but I also wish that he drives cleanly and show the world that he's got the skills and character!

 

[jven]

Congrats to the new champ!

Other aspects of racing aside, I never saw anyone hit pit stop markers or turn in- and out-laps like his father, much respect to him for his skill.

 

[Matt Y]

 

[homecalendar]

He is already 21 but he is not in F1 yet. This is a bad sign. If he were so good he would have been in F1 since he was 17 years old. Just a couple of years and he will be old to debut in F1

 

[ltcars]

I would hate to be at his place. Nobody would care about him if he would be called Müller or Schmitt but now every step he does is watched. Good luck to him

 

[RichardHessels]

He is already 21 but he is not in F1 yet. This is a bad sign. If he were so good he would have been in F1 since he was 17 years old. Just a couple of years and he will be old to debut in F1

Having to deal with such a heavy trauma in the family at a young age sets you back a few years.

 

[Benutzername]

I have to admit: I followed his career because of his famous surname and because i loved MSCs career.

He was good, but not outstanding so far. Nothing special. And i guess he had it a lot easier on the financial side. On the other hand their is the huuuge presence and the pressure of the media.


Anyway, up until midseason he was decent, but in my opinion not someone 'making it' in a vig sense.

But the second half of the season he finally showed something more. I am extremley impressed by his development.
I think he is going to drive for two or three years in the Formula 2.
Natural progression, no rush. First year to learn. He always wa way better in the second year obviously. Maybe a third because of the different tyres and a higher competition.

Lets see how it goes. Good luck to him

 

[keto95]

He is already 21 but he is not in F1 yet. This is a bad sign. If he were so good he would have been in F1 since he was 17 years old. Just a couple of years and he will be old to debut in F1

Nonsense. He's only 19, not 21. There's nothing wrong with that. Teenagers don't belong in F1. Leclerc (20), Russell (20), Ocon (22) have proven to be good enough to enter F1. Mick Schumacher has plenty of time and I wish him well; it's hard to keep up to the legacy of his father. (who was 22 when he entered F1 in 1991)

 

[LeSunTzu]

Schumacher is at Prema, the team that won 100% of the European F3 titles so far. So it is difficult to see if he's really special or "just" very good.

I am no fan of Ticktum's, but I hope we will see more of him in the higher series. He has some serious overtaking skills.

 

[motoliser]

I thought Michael was a dirty driver untiI I saw Crashtappen!!!
Schumacher was a saint compared to this arrogant kid who isn't even fighting for 3rd!!!
Schumacher didnt blame others for his dirty driving that often!!

 

[Ho3n3r]

He is already 21 but he is not in F1 yet. This is a bad sign. If he were so good he would have been in F1 since he was 17 years old. Just a couple of years and he will be old to debut in F1

1. He's only 19.
2. Some drivers take longer to mature. Just like his father as well. He was not very good up until the end of last year in F4, after which he has improved in leaps and bounds.

 

[Matthew327]

He is already 21 but he is not in F1 yet. This is a bad sign. If he were so good he would have been in F1 since he was 17 years old. Just a couple of years and he will be old to debut in F1

He's actually just 19 years old...

Most likely, he'll be spending the next two years in F2 with Prema. If he can maintain his level of development, he'll score a podium or two next year with some decent Top-5 races. In 2020, he should be a title contender.

If that works out, he'd be ready for F1 just in time to replace a certain Flying Finn at Alfa-Romeo-Sauber...

 

[Andrew Harper]

A great achievement and no matter what happens now no-one can take that from him.

It will be interesting to see if and when he makes it into F1. If he's in his early to mid twenties when he achieves it there's nothing wrong with that. If it helps him deal with the pressure of his surname and allows him to be more confident in himself then I see that as a good thing.

Like mentioned above I wasn't too sure about his talent at first but he's done the business and well done to him and his team.

The one thing I have noticed is his personality is very different to his father's. Interviews I've seen and so on. I find that difference in him very interesting.

I was never a huge fan of his father's but when you see races like '96 in Spain his driving talent and feel behind the wheel is in no doubt whatsoever. Flawed yes but certainly a F1 legend.

 

[Shad3R]

He is already 21 but he is not in F1 yet. This is a bad sign. If he were so good he would have been in F1 since he was 17 years old. Just a couple of years and he will be old to debut in F1

You really think like that?
I dont really think this is the case now, just because we have literally kids like Verstappen who were at F1 earlier than eating their 18th birthday cake.
In the past drivers werent this young when entering F1, time changes of course, but that doesnt means that: "Oh im not at F1 at 21yo, i better retire from open wheelers", every driver has a history behind and some might take more time and some might WANT more time.
Schumacher Jr already said that even if he had the opportunity to go F1 he would say no right now, he wants to go slowly, enjoy the way to F1.

 

[Navigator]

Well, most of the races he drove in F3, he was around P10 to 16
With his name, he should be in F1 and so it went; from one race to another: POLE, POLE, POLE, WIN WIN WIN.
And it kept coming......
Dan Ticktum said it was strange; he got shot down. But this last weekend, no pole, pole and pole, but P2, P2 and P2 in qualifying.

I mean; are people SO crazy about his daddy they don't see what happened??
Everyone CAN (but dont want to) see.