Mick Schumacher details fascinating relationship with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at Mercedes

Mick Schumacher has described the ‘special’ relationship he has had with Mercedes since joining the team in December – including with engineers who worked with his legendary father Michael.

Since parting ways with Haas last year, Schumacher joined Mercedes and served as backup driver to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

In a diary entry on the Mercedes AMG websiteSchumacher revealed that working in reserve for the British duo has given him valuable experience.

“It was fascinating working with Lewis and George. It’s an interesting period for me because I get to watch and work with two fantastic drivers, which you can’t always do,” he wrote.

“I learned a lot about what is important when approaching race weekends; I feel like I have already gained so much knowledge to add to my skill set. I didn’t think I would have learned and gained so much so early in my role.”

The 24-year-old praised Lewis Hamilton and George Russell who called the British pair ‘fantastic drivers’

Before joining the team, Schumacher was criticized by Haas team boss Gunther Steiner

The 24-year-old added that serving as backup has given him a better understanding of the work that goes on in the paddock on race day.

“As a driver you usually don’t get to hear what’s going on between all the engineers while you’re on track, so listening in during the sessions was extremely interesting.

“I was quite shocked at the season opener in Bahrain, I didn’t expect the sheer amount of exchange that is happening.”

Joining Mercedes also brought an important personal element for the 2020 Formula 2 Drivers’ Champion.

After returning from a four-year retirement from the sport, Mick’s father Michael Schumacher spent two years with Mercedes before finally ending his storied career in 2012.

The younger Schumacher went on to explain that the chance to work with engineers who had previously been his father’s colleagues made the move even more fulfilling.

‘What I really appreciate about working with those engineers is that they really listen to you and that your opinion matters. What’s special emotionally is that a lot of the people who work for the team now worked here when my dad was riding. .’

Schumacher also wrote about one of his primary responsibilities at Mercedes, continuing to hone his skills on the driving simulator should the team need his services.

‘My main focus so far has been working in the simulator. Having driven a car under these new regulations, I have a good understanding of how to drive it.

Schumacher also expressed the importance of working with engineers at Mercedes who were once colleagues of his legendary father

Mick is the second child and only son of Michael and his wife Corinna Schumacher

Michael Schumacher spent two years at Mercedes before retiring in 2012

“That has helped me in my role so far and hopefully added value to the team. I will be an extra pair of eyes and resource throughout the year to help with the development program.

“The simulator team has been super nice to me and great to work with. It’s impressive to drive the sim because it’s so advanced, and I’ve been dying to do more.

‘Staying on the sidelines is not enough for me, I want to be helpful where I can. Of course it’s not the real thing and I’d love to drive the W14!’

Following his F1 debut with Haas in 2021, Schumacher would spend two seasons under team boss Gunther Steiner but struggled to impress, finishing within the points just twice before being ousted in December.

Steiner would enrage the young driver after his departure, repeatedly criticizing Schumacher’s driving and detailing the cost of his crashes in his autobiography Surviving to Drive.

Schumacher lost the confidence of Haas management after a number of crashes, including Monaco

He described how Schumacher’s crash during the first practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix alone cost Haas $700,000 (£550,000), with the total bill for the season amounting to a whopping £1.7 million.

“It happened in the f*****g in-lap,” Steiner wrote. ‘On the lap! Of course it was very wet on the track, but nobody managed to write off a car as they drove back to the pits.

“We lost a car after five minutes and now have to build another one. I can’t have a driver who I’m not sure can safely drive a car on a slow lap. It’s just ridiculous.

“How many people could we hire with $700,000? And now I have to find that money.’

He added: “The first time a driver writes off a car in a season because of human error, you have to forget it. It’s just one of those things and at the end of the day sometimes something happens.

“The second it happens, you’re like, ‘Wait a minute, something isn’t right here.'”