Ferrari door is ‘always open’ to Mick Schumacher

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene says the possibility of signing Mick Schumacher as a future Formula 1 driver ‘is always open’, but feels the decision remains with the Schumacher family given his father’s legacy at the team.

Schumacher gained legendary F1 status with Ferrari by sealing five world drivers’ titles and six world constructors’ championships during his time racing for the Italian manufacturer.

Following his son Mick’s recent rise in the European Formula 3 championship, with the 19-year-old fighting for the drivers’ title after taking six wins from the past ten races, rumours have intensified linking Schumacher to a move into the F1 paddock in 2019.

Ferrari team boss Arrivabene says he would not turn down an approach for Schumacher but feels it’s a decision which his family would make with ‘the door at Maranello always open’.

“Concerning Mick Schumacher, the most important thing is to let him grow without giving pressure,” Arrivabene said. “The recent results were very, very good and I wish to him a great career.

“With a name like this, that wrote the historical pages of the Ferrari history, I think the door at Maranello is always open of course, but it is a Schumacher family decision.

“Let the guys have fun. I always repeat this [to young drivers] to be focused, concentrated but at the same time have fun and to grow up slowly but certainly. Then we will see about the future. How can you say no, in Maranello, to a name like this?”

Schumacher currently competes for Prema Powerteam in Euro F3, a team known for close links to the Ferrari Driver Academy, while recent graduate Charles Leclerc will step up to the Ferrari F1 team from 2019 in a swap with Kimi Raikkonen heading to Alfa Romeo Sauber.

Mick Schumacher recently attended the F1 Italian Grand Prix as a guest of Ferrari at Monza.