Google News Schumacher: "Spa is a special track for our family"
by | VIEW 247
Mick Schumacher says Spa-Francorchamps is an extremely connected track for his family ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend. At that event in 1991, his father Michael made his debut over the weekend in a Formula 1 race, although the failure of the clutch on the Jordan 191 meant he had to withdraw from the race in the first lap.
Still, his performances in free practice and qualifying caught the eye of Flavio Briatore and he moved to Benetton for the next race at Monza. He achieved his first victory in the F1 race at the Spa track the following year and then won his first two titles with him.
Mick - who is making his Formula One debut this season - had the opportunity to drive his father’s winning Benetton B194 at the 2017 Spa track to mark the 25th anniversary of Michael’s first victory in the premier class.
“Driving my father’s Benetton in 2017 was a great experience,” Mick said. "Now, five years later, I'm driving in Formula One myself, and that's 30 years after my dad made his debut." "This is a really special moment for me and my family, so I'm very happy to have gone there and put my mark on that special track," he added.
2018 win
Mick already has his very good reasons to love Spa, winning the track in 2018 while winning a Formula 3 title. "It was my first victory in Formula 3 in 2018 and the first before a good series," he recalls. "It was also my first pole position that year." "It was very good to start with the Spa because it is a special track for us as a family, and for me as well," he claims.
"I'm very happy to be back and I hope we can get something out of the hat, which would be great." After Williams ’surprising success in Hungary before the summer break, Schumacher and his teammate Nikita Mazepin are the only riders on the grid who haven’t won points for a very well-known reason but are looking forward to new excitements this weekend.
“Overall, Spa is my favorite track, in all circumstances. For me, the return to the Spa is great, "he explains. "I've been there last year and in previous years and we've obviously had a lot of ups and downs there." "It's definitely one of the most challenging tacks," he continued.
"It's super long, historic, and definitely one of the special weekends we have on our calendar."
