Mick Schumacher, son of stricken ex-Formula One star Michael, has opened up on life after his dad's horror ski accident in a rare revelation.
The Schumacher family have been fiercely private when it comes to Michael's health since his 2013 skiing accident.
The seven-time world champion has not been seen publicly since and his condition has been a source of mystery, with family members often refusing to discuss Michael.
Schumacher Snr is said to have recently broke cover to attend his daughter's wedding that was held at the family's £27m mansion in Majorca with Mick also in attendance.
Now Mick, who has been acting as a reserve driver for Mercedes, has spoken to Matt Whyman for his new all-access book titled 'Inside Mercedes F1', about the influence of his dad.
Mick Schumacher's feelings about his dad Michael following his 2013 ski crash have emerged
Mick - pictured with mum Corinna (left) and dad Michael (right) - has opened up on his father
'I was a crazy kid – everything my dad did, I did,' Mick said, as per Yahoo.
'He was really supportive and a lot of fun, but could also be challenging. One time in a karting race I braked very late going into a corner and gained a lot of time. When I told him about it, he said, "Yes, but you should have braked like that in every corner!"'
Schumacher Jnr made his eagerly-anticipated F1 debut with Haas in 2021, at which point his dad was not able to be trackside to see his son compete, adding stress to Mick.
'I started racing in the Formula classes the year after (the accident) and from that point onwards, I had to find my own feet,' Schumacher Jnr said.
'But I definitely learned a lot of technical points from him that I still use today, as well as from his coaching. And I have always been very resilient.'
Former Ferrari boss Jean Todt has spoken about his recovery several times since the accident.
In an interview with French magazine late last year he said: 'Michael is here, so I don’t miss him. [But he] is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him.
'His life is different now and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him.
Schumacher Snr has not been seen publicly since a skiing accident in 2013 (Schumacher pictured with his wife Corinna in 2005)
The family are fiercely private about his condition, only sharing rare looks into their family life
'That’s all there is to say. Unfortunately, fate struck him ten years ago. He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula One.'
On December 29, 2013, Schumacher's life was swiftly altered by the tragic accident while on a family holiday in the French Alps.
He fell metres away from a popular ski slope that resulted in critical head injuries.
Deciding to go off-piste, Schumer was unaware of some boulders concealed from view by snowfall.
His skis clipped one such boulder and the sudden force catapulted him into the air — leaving him powerless to avoid a head-first collision with another rock. He fractured his skull and was left with a brain injury.
Unlike the successes enjoyed by his dad, F1 has proven an unforgiving environment for Mick.
He looks set for another season on the sidelines after being snubbed of a seat for the upcoming campaign.
Despite success in F2 and F3 formats, the 25-year-old struggled when he moved into the senior ranks with Haas where he raced for two seasons, finishing 19th and 16th before being let go.
Mick Schumacher (right) made his F1 debut in 2021 with Haas but struggled and was soon cut
He is currently Mercedes' reserve driver - along with Frederik Vesti - but had been seeking a role on centre stage with another team.
He was reportedly an option for the vacant Sauber seat - however that has now been taken up by F2 talent Gabriel Bortoleto.
On Wednesday, Sauber confirmed that current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will be released at the end of this season and Bortoleto has been signed.
Schumacher was also snubbed by Williams when they needed a replacement for the under-performing Logan Sargeant. They instead opted for Franco Colapinto.
