20 replies to this topic

[journeyman]

From Daily F1:

Schumacher: my son will never race

The son of Michael Schumacher will never get a chance at driving
racing cars when the time comes, according to his Double World
Champion father.

Mick Schumacher, who was born last year, will be steered away
from the dangers of motorsport and into safer sports such as Golf or
tennis should he try sport as a career said Schumacher Snr this
week.

'I actually must not think about seeing him in a racing car,' said the
31-year-old. 'I don't want him to become my successor.

'When children choose for the same hobby as their father, I would
probably start golfing. That's a relatively safe sport.'

Schumacher attributed the pressures placed on sons with famous
fathers as a burden for his own child, and another reason why he
wanted him to keep away from the cockpit.

'We have seen these problems with Jacques Villeneuve, Damon Hill
and many other (drivers) who followed their father's footsteps.

'Life was made very difficult for them.'

[Keith Steele]

That's an interesting comment about Damon and Jacques. I see no maligned intent there at all. I tell myself that I wouldnt want my kids to do this or do that also. But when push comes to shove you have to let them do what they really want to do, and be supportive of their efforts. Listening to those parents older and wiser then me they always choose something you dont want for them anyway.

[Keith Steele]

Niki Lauda's dad amoung several others were told absolutely no too. Mario didnt want Michael to race. But when they decide to do it you can either be a dick and let them try it on their own(with or without you knowing about it) or you can pass on all of your knowledge and hope they come out in one piece.

[snow]

Schuey Sr. will learn someday that Schuey Jr. will end up doing what he wants, just like all kids.

[Ray Bell]

Interesting, too, that both drivers mentioned had no prospect of being influenced or aided by their fathers...

[Witt]

It's good and all that he's not forcing him into racing, but if Mick wants to race when he's older, it's just as bad to hold him back from doing that too.

Ray, good observation about JV & DH. Both didn't have dads to shove driving in their faces, yet they both chose to race by themselves anyway and were/are bloody good at it. Does anyone know if Graham or Gilles ever told their boys not to race?

[JayWay]

Gilles wanted to form his own team with Jacques as the driver when he retired.

[Cobra]

Team Villeneuve would have been cool! Perhaps Ferrari customer engines for them? Actually the more a parent tells their offspring not to do something, the more inticed and curious junoir becomes. My own father was an amateur motorcycle racer and my uncle a local rally driver; yet my father clearly didn't approve of me going for my regional racing and motorcycle license back in highschool. I never really went anywhere with my racing but I remeber being so determined to show my pop that I could manage to race smart and safe. Never did tell him about the time I "toured" the
Toronto Molson Indy layout on a Ninja ZXR-7R just weeks before the actual race in the early 90's.

[dopesmuggler]

So Gina Maria is going to be the racer in the family ? That'll be fun

[Thank-U]

Quote by Schummi:
'We have seen these problems with Jacques Villeneuve, Damon Hill and many other (drivers) who followed their father's footsteps.

I don't see any "Problem" with Hill and Jax doing it.


Maybe Schu sees it as a BIIIIG problem since they took away the 1996 and 1997 WC titles away from him?

What's your opinion Frans?

[Sean L]

I think MS is just saying that the expectations put on the offspring of a hugely successful parent is not something he'd want for his. As well as the fact that he considers it dangerous.

But who knows where the sport will be in 20 years time. Just think of the technological advancement of the past 20. Injury will be unheard of. If it's in the genes (as is apparent with RS) then nothing will hinder Mick Schumacher Jnr if he wants to follow in his dad's wheeltracks and will be something I'd like to see.

When I was 5 my father wanted to start me off in karts but was forbidden by my grandparents. My grandfather and father had raced and rallied but I was not allowed to. Something I still regret.

[Ray Bell]

Don't say that, please! Was Jacques able to speak when his father was still alive? I think he was very, very young... are you sure he didn't mean his brother Jacques, the ultra quick one of the family?

[Force Ten]

It's getting rather ridiculous how bad sometimes the fans of other drivers want to make Schumacher look like.

Thank-U, that comment was addressed towards you. I am also a Hill fan and I don't find that post amusing...

Schmacher for sure didn't have a in mind the 1996 and 1997 championships he didn't get when he made that comment. Believe me, it's not great being a son of a famous Dad. When Hill started there was a lot of saying that yeah he got the ride only because of Graham, he can't drive worth a penny and basically it was a sad day when he entered formula one.

Last year, when they put together the Formula One Hall of Fame of the century, guess what? Yes, Damon was very much present there... And in the comments it actually said that of these two Damon was probably the 'faster' one. Still there are many believing that Damon wasn't even worth a shot in Formula One as there are soooo many better drivers out there. That he got the drive only because of his Dad.
...And we are back at the beginning...

[Zac]

Ray Bell - Jacques was about 10 or 11 when his Dad died. In Gerry Donaldson's book he says that Gilles wanted Jacques to go into F1. However, when Jacques was old enough to start racing I think his Mum tried to stop him. Can't say I blame her after losing her husband.

[Frans MSH]

"Schumacher: my son will never race "

I hope this is a promise!!

just imagine......

[CDNgrl]

I find this amusing. As if he even has much of a choice! Kids do what they want.

We bought my son a kart (kitt car?) for his first birthday -- hoping to stir the passion. Poor little fella couldn't reach the pedals - four years later it sits unused. The thought of being a hockey mom made me cringe --- the idea of spending weekends at kart tracks seemed kind of cool. I'd get up early in the morning for that!

Brought him to Mosport for the ALMS. It was like I was torturing him - close to child abuse. He HATED it. He hides when F1 is on -- when we go to the local kart he is completely disinterested, and wants to play mini-golf instead.

He put it in perspective fore me: sometimes kids don't like what grownups do.

Guess I need to get out those hockey skates. Sigh!

[Nasty McBastard]

and my mum said i wouldnt drink, smoke, knock girls up, develop a drug habit or get a penchants for spending time on f1 bulitin boards....

lol

brocky said the same thing didnt he?

[Slick]

I've tried all my life to do exactly what others didn't want me to do

maybe this is Shumi snr.s way of getting Shumi jnr interested in F1

Double Bluff

[Huw Jenjin]

Typical arrogant Schumacher M. Get real Mikoe, you are obviously not an experienced parent........"My son vill not".
where did we hear that before?
damon vill not........biff
villeneuve vill not............biff
Heinz Harald vill not.................biff
and stop calling my son Mika, his name is Micky.No he is not named after my favorite racing driver........you vill not ask me zees qvestions. bif

[baddog]

typical stupid huw.. you cant even read. the 'my son will not race' was the tagline written by a journo. michaels comments were pretty reasonable. duh

Shaun

[Williams]

In almost every case of a parent or the spouse of a parent who drives in F1, the parent is reluctant to let the kid get into racing. Mansell in the latest F1 racing says he discouraged his son from getting into it and was glad to find that his son would turn out to be too tall for the sport anyway. The same reluctance was found in Damon Hill's and Jacques Villeneuve's mothers (the latter understandably).

I am not sure about Jody Schekter and his son. Jody actually seems quite enthusiastic about his son's career, but perhaps that is only after an initial argument over his son's future.

In the end, the child ends up doing what he wants, especially if he has inherited a natural talent from the parent.

As far as the difficulties faced by driving sons of famous F1 fathers, I would say that the opening of doors caused by the name compensates for the additional pressure of public expectations. JV for example, has always raced in the best machinery througout his career, which is a big help in developing confidence and getting the ontrack time required to become a good driver.

MS's son would definitely find a much easier time of it than his father, who struggled from being a garage mechanic to becoming arguably the world's best driver. The name and the money would be a definite help.