9-year-old Mick Schumacher makes his race debut in Spain
With seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher retired from Formula One and his kid brother Ralf moving on to DTM, the racing world was just getting used to the idea of the post-Schumacher era. Racing fans, however, can look forward to the continuation of the dynasty, as Michael's nine-year-old son has taken to the track himself.
Mick Schumacher got behind the wheel of an Alonso kart, ironically, for a low-level event in Spain, finishing the two races tenth and eighth, and will proceed to three more rounds in the series. The Schumachers tried their hardest to keep the young Mick out of the press limelight, entering him in the race under his mother's maiden name Betsch and accompanied at the event by his grandfather Rolf (Michael and Ralf's father), but you can bet the motorsport press will be keeping a close eye on the young Schumacher – already nicknamed Schumi III, following his father and uncle – as his career progresses.
[Source: F1-Live, Photo: as.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Todd 6:13PM (4/21/2008)
NO PRESSURE!
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Franz 6:18PM (4/21/2008)
lol
Brandon 6:31PM (4/21/2008)
Thanks!
You made me lol in my office for the first time while reading Autoblog.
Have a great evening!
HotRodzNKustoms 6:58PM (4/21/2008)
No none at all. haha
Yar 6:42PM (4/21/2008)
I didn't say I wouldn't go fishin' with the man, all I'm saying is, he comes near me, I'm putting him in the wall.
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hydrogenvodka 8:19PM (4/21/2008)
that's some pressure.,.
Snix 9:37AM (4/22/2008)
Yeah, no pressure on the kid. Also, you think Tiger Woods' daughter won't be taking golf lessons?
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what? 9:15PM (4/21/2008)
but you know what's funny?
only rich kids get to do this. normal kids couldn't afford racing in expensive go-karts and racing in different countries. so the rich make the field.
/rant
as the previous commenters said..no pressure! lol
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Carlos 11:46PM (4/21/2008)
Not necessarily. Fernando Alonso's parents were a factory mechanic and a department store worker. His dad liked carting though, and built a cart for Fernando's older sister. She didn't care for it, so Fernando tried it out when he was 3 and did well enough that prize money and full sponsorship at age 10 carried him through.
Harrison 12:01AM (4/22/2008)
So was Michael Schumacher. His parents weren't exactly rolling in the $ and they all had to work hard.
James 5:31AM (4/22/2008)
Eh, when you're set up for success like that, you might not have the hunger that your parents had.
Regardless, by the time that fella can legally drive he would probably outdrive 99% of us.
azzo45 9:42PM (4/21/2008)
So Schummi III has his Dad's helmet livery scued to blue hues & is driving a Fernando Alonso racing kart...
... so do the Alonso-to-Ferrari-in-'09 rumors gain a bit more weight? :) :) :)
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gairloch 12:37AM (4/22/2008)
I wish the media would leave kids alone. It's not right to put that kind of pressure on them or to put them at risk.
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MikeInNC 7:44AM (4/22/2008)
He's a kid having fun, let him at it. At 9 I would have thought I'd died and gone to Heaven to drive a kart like that.
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Brad 8:44AM (4/22/2008)
Now every race the kid goes to there is going to be more and more media. Stories will start appearing wondering why he didn't finish higher or even win. The boy has a long road ahead of him. Hopefully he can still be just a kid and the pressure won't get to him.
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Pat 10:05AM (4/22/2008)
Hopefully he takes after his father and not his uncle :) The name is a double edged sword. On the one hand, the kid will have to deal with the pressure and press that comes with being a Schumacher. On the other hand, he has access to all the resources of a Schumacher (first class treatment at ferrari, access to any and all tracks, etc.). There have been plenty of drivers to follow in their father's footsteps that haven't (yet) quite lived up, but they still seem happy doing what they're doing (Andretti, Rosberg, Senna - his uncle, not his father, Piquet).
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Michael 10:09PM (4/22/2008)
Yes, if this boy becomes as good as his father that would be great. But even if he becomes as good of a driver as Ralf, that's not bad either! I mean Ralf was a F1 driver.
CDN Crockett 2:53PM (4/22/2008)
He'll do it!!!!
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Pips 6:54PM (4/22/2008)
heard him race better than Ralf; Ralf, listen-up!
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azzo45 1:22AM (4/23/2008)
Michael Andretti did not let down Mario & Marco had BOTH dad & Grand dad at his kart events.
Graham Rahal had Bobby front & center
But Al Unser III proves not every Unser will win Indy & Jeff Andretti never matched brother Mike.... Aldo never matched brother Mario.
I agree... let Mick have his fun
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