Schumacher wanted to ‘get his boy into F1’
BERLIN: The former manager of Michael Schumacher has revealed the seventimes Formula One champion had ‘‘secretly planned’’ to manage his son, Mick, until fate dealt him a cruel hand.
Schumacher retired from Formula One at the end of the 2012 season and was eventually replaced at Mercedes by reigning fivetime champion Lewis Hamilton.
According to Willi Weber, Schumacher was anxious to get ‘‘his boy into Formula One and even manage him the way I used to manage him’’.
Weber was Schumacher’s manager until he was replaced by Sabine Kehm after the German great suffered serious brain injuries during a skiing accident in December 2013.
The now 50yearold German has not been seen or heard from since.
Weber said the accident ‘‘changed everything’’ and plans of a fatherson team in Formula One ended prematurely.
‘‘Michael was anxious to get his boy into Formula One and even manage him. That would have been a great story. He would have loved that,’’ Weber told German website motorsporttotal.com, adding Michael Schumacher saw his son’s potential.
Mick Schumacher is one of the hottest prospects in motor racing today. Weber said Michael attended many of Mick’s kart races before his son turned 14 and knew his son would one day reach Formula One.
Mick is currently competing in Formula Two representing Prema Racing. He won the European Formula Three championship last year.
Earlier this month, the 20yearold held a successful F1 test at the Bahrain International Circuit, where he piloted a Ferrari SF90.
He also tested an Alfa Romeo F1 car at the same track.
Weber said Mick knew he had a heavy burden to bear, trying to emulate his father’s exploits.
‘‘Mick always thought as Michael’s son he had to achieve the same results as his father, and this of course gave the boy a huge burden.’’
However, Weber believes Michael would have made an excellent manager because of all the experience he had in Formula One.
‘‘Michael knew which teams he could speak to and how it works because he garnered many years of experience. That was his grand ambition.’’
The 77yearold Weber said he suffered ‘‘like a dog’’ for months after Schumacher was seriously injured in the 2013 skiing accident and that his dearest wish was for Michael to get back on his feet as soon as possible ’’so I can hug him’’.
Weber said he has no contact with the Schumacher family any more and blames Kehm for ‘‘destroying our relationship through the press’’. — NZME