One would think that growing up with a famous and skilled athlete as a parent would mean only great things for the future. That may be the case for the most part, however, the same can't be said for the Schumacher family. Not only did the patriarch of the family suffer a serious injury skiing injury, but his previous records in F1 seemed impossible to break.
Every member of the Schumacher family has (probably) felt this at some point, especially Mick Schumacher, one of two of Michael's children. Given he's the son of the world's greatest race car driver, there's a lot of pressure on him to succeed. At the time of writing this, his future is not entirely certain. Though, we here at HotCars believe that Mick will be a wonderful successor to his father.
So, given what we know now, here are the reasons why we think Mick Schumacher will honor his family's name...
Racing's In Their Genes
The obvious thing that everybody is going to keep an eye on is Mick Schumacher's racing abilities. Sure, the name is great, but that doesn't really matter if it can't be translated into race wins or points. From his records in the lower-tier Formula series's, there's certainly promise...
In both karting and Formula 4, Schumacher finished as the runner-up in the championship. Afterwards (in Formula 3), he achieved third place overall during the 2016 season, but was followed by an abysmal twelfth place in 2017. Yet, that would be remedied the following year once he won the 2018 Formula 3 Championship.
Compared to his dad, Mick is a very different racer. Where Michael Schumacher would risk it all for an extra position, Mick seems to play it more carefully; opting for tactics rather than outright aggression. However, both managed to win world championship titles in the entry-level tiers. With just that, it's easy to see how his father's skills rubbed of on his son, along with the speed in which he's climbed the ranks thus far.
Pre-existing Relationships With F1 And Ferrari
The next way in which Mick Schumacher will honor his father is via his connections with Formula One and Scuderia Ferrari. Saying that Michael Schumacher is the 'golden boy' of Ferrari would be a massive understatement, to say the least. He's brought the team multiple championships, so you already know how welcoming they'll be to his offspring.
Early on in Mick Schumacher's career, he had already shaken hands with higher-ups at Ferrari, even securing a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy. Now, with his Formula 3 championship and Formula 2 win under his belt, Mick is ripe to pull a 'Charles LeClerc', so to speak.
If this were to occur, Mick would do almost exactly what his father did. The exception, though, being the time in which he raced in F1 before going to Ferrari (that is, if he ever reaches it). If Mick were to really mimic/honor his father, he'd have to get a few championships before entering Ferrari. Nowadays, though, that's all but impossible without already being in a frontline team. That being said, a fast-track to the Prancing Horse is the best he can get...
Michael Schumacher Was More Than Just A Father
Beyond the fact that Michael was Mick Schumacher's dad, he was also his "idol" (according to Mick himself). There's something to be said about growing up with Michael Schumacher as your dad, particularly the wonderful role model such a man would make.
Needless to say, his love for and deep respect of his father is hardly matched by anyone, leading him to want to win like his elder. Being able to take home championships and win races in F1 would not only secure his future, but his AND his family's stationary position in the sport.
All we can say now is what we 'hope' to happen. The future may not occur as we anticipated, but, even then, we're still confident that Mick will more than cherish his dad's fame.