22/04/2019
NEWS STORY
In the days following the Bahrain Grand Prix, Mick Schumacher took the first steps in what many are hoping might be another F1 fairy-tale.
Having been enlisted to the Ferrari Driver Academy earlier this year, the youngster made his F1 debut at the Bahrain test, appropriately at the wheel of an SF90. The following day, he was at the wheel of the Alfa Romeo, leaving many wondering if a move up to F1 will happen in 2020.
Reflecting on the Bahrain test, Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto admits that there were similarities in the youngster's approach to that of his father, who is still recovering following his skiing accident in 2013.
"The very first time I saw him after many years in Maranello, when he came back, if you looked at him, I don't think he's looking very similar to Michael," said Binotto, "but the way he's behaving is very similar, and the way he's approaches the exercise and the way he's interested in the car, discussing it with the technicians.
"So even in Maranello, you are looking after him, but he's always in the workshop looking at the car, speaking with the mechanics, and I think that's very similar to his father."
Asked how the team assesses his performance, Binotto said: "To assess the performance, I think it is very difficult because first, the weather conditions were very bad on that day and because at the end I think that the objective was not really to assess the performance.
"It was his very first day on an F1 car; more important for him still in the learning phase, day-by-day, is facing a completely new challenge in his F2 season.
"I think what was certainly positive was the way he approached the exercise, the approach to the day of testing, never pushing to the limit, trying to improve run-by-run, learning the car, learning the team, and I think in that respect he did a very good job: very well focussed, concentrated and tried to do the proper job and learn. I think that's the most you may expect on such a day."