Mick Schumacher hailed an “amazing” first full day behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, but stressed he is in no rush to secure a seat.
Schumacher, 20, was handed his test debut in a contemporary Formula 1 car by Ferrari – whose Driver Academy he joined earlier this year – in Bahrain on Tuesday.
Schumacher finished the day in second position, 0.597s behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, as he utilised the softest of Pirelli’s five compounds, completing 56 laps.
“The emotions I can tell you were really nice, it was feeling like home already, it was beautiful to make those first laps and to see all those guys working on the car and working with me,” he said.
“It was astonishing, the feeling I had going out and the first time on the throttle was… this thing has so much power!
“I felt good and there is so much potential in the car with the speed through the corners and in traction it is hard to describe and I am sure there is a lot more to come.
“You can brake later and later and later and the car would still stop in the same way. It was crazy really.
“I came into here to have fun and to enjoy it and I did that 110 per cent.
“I guess you guys [the media] can see that I am smiling a lot and I enjoyed a lot, especially those last laps.
“With full power and everything it was just amazing, a complete feeling in the car, it was just amazing.”
Schumacher made his Formula 2 debut in Bahrain last weekend, taking eighth and sixth in the respective races, having stepped up as the reigning Formula 3 champion.
His predecessors as Formula 3 champions – Lance Stroll and Lando Norris – are both now competing in Formula 1, but Schumacher stressed that he is not in a rush to reach the top level.
“Obviously it is my first year in F2 so we will see how it goes,” he said.
“I want to arrive in F1 as a complete racing driver and being as prepared as possible and I think time will tell if that is next year or the year to follow.
“If that is next year or the years to follow it is how it goes. I am taking one step at a time.”
Schumacher will test for the Ferrari-affiliated Alfa Romeo team on Wednesday.