Bahrain Grand Prix – Ferrari & Alfa Romeo have confirmed that Mick Schumacher will drive for both teams during the in-season test in Bahrain next week.
Formula 2 racing driver Mick Schumacher will make his first appearance in a contemporary Formula 1 car next week when he gets behind the wheel of the Ferrari SF90 on Tuesday, before stepping into the Alfa Romeo C38 on Wednesday.
Both teams have confirmed the 20 year old, son of seven time World Champion Michael, will participate in their testing programs for the first of two in-season tests this season.
Alfa have also confirmed that Callum Illot, also an FDA driver with Charouz Racing in F2, will drive during the Barcelona in-season test in May.
Mick, who was signed to the Ferrari Driver Academy over the winter break, is set to make his Formula 2 debut this weekend. Racing with the Prema team with whom he won the F3 title last season, he will race in Bahrain for the opening round of the championship before switching his attention to the Formula 1 tests.
“We are firm believers in the value of the Ferrari Driver Academy, as a high level training programme for talented youngsters and the decision to give Charles Leclerc a race seat with our team is proof of that. We are therefore very pleased to be able to give Mick and Callum the opportunity to experience driving a Formula 1 car. Mick, who joined the FDA in January, and Callum, who has been with us since 2017, are definitely drivers on their way up and I believe that driving the SF90 in an official setting such as the tests in Bahrain and Barcelona can be very useful at this stage in their career”. Mattina Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal
“I am obviously more than excited and would like to thank Alfa Romeo Racing for giving me this opportunity.” said Schumacher of his Alfa confirmation.
“I am really looking forward to what I’m sure will be a great experience. But for the moment, I am consciously putting all thoughts of the test to one side, because I am also very much looking forward to competing in my first F2 race and would like to focus a hundred percent on the weekend to come.”
The rules for in-season F1 testing state that a rookie driver (less than two Grands Prix participated) must drive on two of the four total days for the season.
Alfa running Schumacher and Illot over the Bahrain & Barcelona tests ticks that box while Ferrari could run Schumacher again in Spain to fulfil their duty too. Sebastian Vettel will drive the SF90 on Wednesday, taking over from Schumacher. Presumably, this means that Charles Leclerc will be given the remaining day in Spain in May.
Mick Schumacher’s Bahrain Test Schedule:
Day 1 (Tuesday): Scuderia Ferrari
Day 2 (Wednesday): Alfa Romeo
Breaking story. More to follow.
