Mick Schumacher praised the changes Mercedes underwent and its subsequent growth since his last "sneaky visit" in 2014. The young German, part of the same team that his father Michael Schumacher used to drive for, revealed that things have progressed significantly since his last visit to the factory and the simulator.
Speaking to Autosport, he expressed that the kind of growth one sees within the team now is immense and proves why the whole operation performs at such a high standard. He said:
"The changes that are obvious since 2014, which was the last time I came here, which was a kind of sneaky visit and do my first simulator session at the time. To see the growth in the team is immense. It shows why the team is at the standard that it’s at right now. So I’m very happy to be part of it, very excited to see more of it and get to know everybody."
Speaking about his expectations at Mercedes, Mick Schumacher said that he wanted to add value and contribute to the team just like his father did when he drove for the team from 2010 to 2012. He said:
"My dad has been part of this team from 2010 until 2012, and obviously it was a lot of the foundations of what it is today. I’m very proud of being a part of it now, and hopefully again, I’ll be able to help them go forwards and progress, and contribute my knowledge to it."
Mick Schumacher details how he adds value to Mercedes
Mick Schumacher has also explained how he plans to add value to the Mercedes operation as a reserve driver. Since he is one of the few reserve drivers that has driven an F1 car under the new regulations and knows how the tires work, he adds another dimension to the value that other drivers can provide. He said:
"I guess it’s not as common to have a reserve driver that has been driving the new era of cars. I know the new tyres, I know what the car is about, what it needs also in terms of driving style. So hopefully I’ll be able to contribute to that, but also see what the drivers need from the outside, and obviously simulator work is going to be very important. We have a lot to do, and hopefully I’ll be able to contribute the knowledge that I have, but also gain a lot of knowledge for myself that I'll be able to use for the rest of my career and my life."
Mick Schumacher will be hoping that his Mercedes alliance provides him with future opportunities in F1 and helps him further his career in the sport.