BERLIN: Mick Schumacher, the teenage son of the stricken Michael Schumacher, was crowned 2018 Formula 3 European champion yesterday to claim the first key title of his career, increasing the possibility of a future in Formula One.
With one race left this season, the 19-year-old Schumacher finished second in the day’s second race at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit to leave him with an unassailable lead in the drivers’ championship.
“It has not really sunk in yet,” Schumacher said.
“I’m delighted, the team has achieved so much throughout the year.”
Schumacher had been a picture of concentration in the final laps to hold second and secure the title, but punched the air after crossing the finish line.
“I was actually annoyed by a mistake I made earlier in the race,” he said with a grin.
Chequered
Estonia’s Juri Vips took the chequered flag, but all the attention was on Schumacher, who dominated the second half of the F3 season after claiming five straight wins last month.
He hugged his team after finishing on the podium for the 13th time in 29 races this season.
Before today’s final race, Schumacher had 347 points, 51 ahead of Britain’s Daniel Ticktum, who was second in the table and the only driver who could have caught the German.
Schumacher had finished 12th yesterday morning after an early crash forced him into the pits, but made no such mistake in the day’s second race.
His first F3 title means Schumacher has qualified for a FIA ‘super licence’, a prerequisite for the jump to Formula One, and follows on from his father, who won the German F3 championships 28 years ago.
The presence of the German teenager with the famous name generated huge media interest in F3 this season.
After a mediocre start, things clicked in July, when he won at Spa in Belgium, to claim his first victory in the 15th of 30 races this season.