Ticktum questions Schumacher’s pace

Red Bull protege Dan Ticktum has expressed doubts about European Formula 3 title rival Mick Schumacher’s recent upturn in form, but denied that he is accusing the German of driving an illegal car.

The Brit has slipped 49 points behind Schumacher, son of seventime Formula 1 champion Michael, following the latest round at the Red Bull Ring last weekend.

Schumacher won the first two races before finishing second in the third and has taken pole for the last six races, including at the Nurburgring.

Ticktum, meanwhile, could only manage a best result of fourth in the third race, finished eighth in the opener and crashed in race two.

“Compared to the top two [Schumacher and Prema team-mate Robert Shwartzman] no one on this grid had a chance,” Ticktum wrote on his Instagram page. “Even their other team-mates who are good drivers were nowhere compared to them.

“Interesting is how I would describe their pace and I am confident many people in the F3 paddock will agree.”

Ticktum moved to clarify his earlier statements saying he doesn’t believe Prema is fielding an illegal car for Schumacher or Shwartzman.

However, he added fuel to the speculation by saying that the general public doesn’t have access to “everyone’s data” and that he’s on the brink of losing the F3 title as his “last name is not Schumacher”.