History Repeats Itself as Mick Schumacher Drives Michael’s Benetton at Spa

Michael Schumacher’s 18-year old son Mick, got a taste of Formula One machinery when he drove the 1994 title-winning Benetton-Ford B194 at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. As it turns out, he was only trying the car on for size because the same car will be used in 2 weeks’ time for a special exhibition drive. The run is expected to take place a couple of hours before the second half of the Formula One season kicks off at Belgium.

The occasion is the 25th anniversary of Michael Schumacher’s maiden Grand Prix win, incidentally at Spa. The B194 was usually on display in the Michael Schumacher Museum, but was allowed to stretch its legs under the feet of Schumacher junior. Although Mick wore a black helmet to mask his identity but eagle eyed paparazzi spotted him. This run will surely let Mick get a feel of driving an F1 car of yesteryear because he wasn’t born when Michael first cruised to the chequered flag.

Mick’s loftiest of goals is to follow in his father’s footsteps into Formula One.”I love driving, that’s why I do it – and not because of my name,” Mick told Canal Sport recently. “I feel no pressure. Maybe that’s what some would like, but I do what I have to do. I drive, and that’s it.” Mick was 14 at the time of Michael’s skiing accident and since then he and the rest of Michael’s family and management have been maintaining their distance from the media.

“Michael has consistently drawn a clear line between the public and the private, which has always been accepted by the fans and the media,” said Schumacher’s personal manager Sabine Kehm in May: “The decision to protect his privacy from the public has been taken in Michael’s interest.”