03 January 2023 , 13:12
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The motorsport community came together on Tuesday to celebrate the 54th birthday of Michael Schumacher, and son Mick led the procession with a touching tribute.
The 23-year-old has signed on as a reserve driver for his father's final team, Mercedes, ahead of the 2023 campaign. Schumacher Jr. made his official Formula 1 debut in 2021, some seven years after his dad suffered a traumatic head injury, which would change the family forever.
The former prodigy was skiing with his father in the French Alps when seven-time world champion Schumacher suffered the blow in December 2013. The family has endeavoured to keep their affairs private since then, but Mick took to Instagram to share photos of his father, including one where he can be seen in frame as a child.
"Happy birthday to the best Dad ever," Schumacher posted on Instagram, including a love-heart emoji as he captioned the two pictures of his father. "Love you!"
The former Haas driver—who was let go by the American manufacturer at the end of 2022—has unsurprisingly referred to his father as his "role model" in the past. The Switzerland-born star didn't address his father's accident publicly until March 2017 when he lauded the legend as his "idol."
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Despite any privilege the youngster might have received due to his family name, Schumacher made a name for himself en route to joining F1's ranks. He showed great promise in karting before securing titles in Formula 2 and Formula 3, the latter of which came after he joined Ferrari's driver academy.
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Mick has departed one of his father's former employers to join another in Mercedes, though he won't return to starting duties in the coming season. That being said, it would be folly to think Schumacher has given up on his dream of mimicking his father's F1 fame.
“I’m for sure not going to drive anything [than in F1] else as of right now," he told GPFans. "I'm simply not interested in that. If you get the taste of the best there is, you're not going to settle for anything else and so definitely I'll be sticking around in the paddock."
Despite being relegated to reserve status for 2023, there's no telling what opportunities will present as he offers back-up to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Beyond the Grid Schumacher "deserves a chance" to earn his place back on the grid as he looks to make his father even more proud of his feats in F1.