Mick Schumacher will face a very difficult debut season because of the increased media attention, according to 2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg.
Schumacher will make his debut in F1 next weekend at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix with the Haas F1 Team, following in the footsteps of his father, seven-time champion Michael Schumacher.
Because of his family name, Rosberg says the media attention will make Mick’s debut “ten times more difficult”.
“It is not easy to be the ‘son of’,” Rosberg told F1 Insider, owing to his own experience as the son of 1982 F1 champion Keke Rosberg.
“With Mick it is again ten times more difficult because Michael’s days weren’t that long ago and he was even more successful.
“The media attention will be great, initially probably even greater than that of Lewis Hamilton,” added Rosberg, who hopes the 21-year-old can ignore the added pressure that his surname brings.
“I hope that Mick can put that aside and concentrate on his job – otherwise it takes away a lot of the fun.
“The media won’t give him time [to impress]. It takes time and patience. After all, I had to wait seven years to win my first race and even eleven years to win the title. You have to keep that in mind if you want to rate Mick this year.”
Schumacher will partner Nikita Mazepin at Haas this year in what is expected to be a tough season for the team, which hasn’t developed its car as it focusses on 2022.
