MARCH 28, 2019

Schumacher's simple plan

During the upcoming days in Bahrain Mick Schumacher will race in Formula 2 for the first time, and then after that he will have two Formula 1 tests at the same track – one with Ferrari and the other with Alfa Romeo.

By Dan Knutson in Bahrain

During the upcoming days in Bahrain Mick Schumacher will race in Formula 2 for the first time, and then after that he will have two Formula 1 tests at the same track – one with Ferrari and the other with Alfa Romeo.

That is a big challenge for any driver. And as Mick is the son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher, he will be in the spotlight from the fans and the media. But he has a simple plan how to cope with everything that he will have to deal with.

What's his priority?

"Formula 2, 110 percent," was his brief reply to reporters in the Bahrain paddock.

After the F2 weekend in Bahrain with his Prema team is over only then will he think about the two F1 tests that will happen at the same track.

"That's something I'll focus on as soon as it's time for it," he said of driving a F1 car. "For sure, there's going to be emotions after F2. I'm really happy that we're starting the F2 season now."

Schumacher has already spent a lot of time preparing for his F2 racing debut plus his first official F1 test, including spending time driving the Ferrari simulator.

"Obviously there's a bunch of things you have to do to be prepared, and I've done that," he said. "I've done that with Prema. I'm doing a lot of sim work for F2 and physical training in trying to have a similar heat to here. It's very difficult obviously, the sun is very strong. But I feel really prepared, I feel 100 percent ready to kick off the season."

Schumacher was asked on Thursday how many years he wanted to stay in F2.

"We haven't even started the first race!" he said. "I'll come back to that."

What does he want to achieve in his first year in F2?

"I think the goal for me really is to learn as much as possible, to gather as much experience, and then to deliver the best potential and the best performance," he said.

Actually, that list of things to accomplish in his F2 racing season also applies to his first F1 tests.