Mick Schumacher says he enjoyed a “productive” day of running in Barcelona as part of a Pirelli tyre test.
The German driver enjoyed his first laps in a Formula 1 car since he was dropped by Haas at the end of the 2022 campaign.
Schumacher linked up with Mercedes this year as its reserve driver and was handed his first outing in the W14 after the Spanish Grand Prix.
Taking over from George Russell who drove the car on Tuesday, Schumacher set 152 during the day as Mercedes assisted Pirelli with its programme.
“It was great. I learned a lot and it was a lot of fun,” Schumacher said. “It was a very productive day; we got through everything we wanted to and ran every test tyre on the plan.
“It was also good to have that first experience of the tyres without any blankets. Obviously having not driven in a while, I felt it physically, but it was good to be back in the driving seat.
“This experience will definitely benefit me in my role. I have a better understanding of what to look out for and what to work on.
“I also have a better understanding of all the procedures and how the Team works trackside. That would be a key factor in case I ever have to jump in and race.”
Schumacher has been setting hours in Mercedes’ simulator, assisting it with set-up work during race weekends.
While acknowledging that it is difficult to prepare for the real car in a simulator, he hailed Mercedes’ technology after sampling both its factory simulator and its proper 2023 challenger.
“There is obviously a difference between the simulator and driving in the real world,” he said.
“There will always be a difference as the technology is not at a point where you can compare it 100%. However, it is the closest experience I’ve had between a simulator and real life.
“The simulator has prepared me, and the team has made a great effort of correlating it.
“That helped me to know what to expect when driving it. It’s clear why this team is an eight-time World Champion.
“I’m very excited for the rest of the year. I’ve had a great time today and hopefully I’ll be back in a car at some point. I loved every bit of it! I want to say a big thank you to everybody for this opportunity.”
