What former FIA President Jean Todt, a friend of the Schumacher family, thinks about Mick Schumacher’s time in Formula 1 and his future
“I want to see him achieve his dreams,” says Jean Todt about Mick Schumacher. As things stand, however, Mick Schumacher cannot realize his dreams because he is not currently racing in Formula 1. And according to Todt, the fact that he has lost his regular place in motorsport’s “premier class” is mainly due to external circumstances
In an interview with Sport Bild, Todt, a long-time friend of the Schumacher family, says: “Many people think that his surname is an advantage – but it became a disadvantage.”
The pressure this put on Mick Schumacher was “unfair”. What’s more: “The expectations placed on him were unreasonable – and the car was not competitive,” says Todt. His conclusion: “He was never able to show what potential he had.”
However, Mick Schumacher himself also played a part in the fact that his Formula 1 career came to an end after just two seasons at Haas, says Todt: “Of course, he had a few accidents, some of which were his own fault.” Overall, however, Mick Schumacher is a driver who “deserves a cockpit in Formula 1”, says Todt.
He then adds: “Mick is better than half of the Formula 1 drivers.” Todt doesn’t say exactly what he thinks this is. Just this much: “Mick undoubtedly has what it takes [for Formula 1]. Otherwise he wouldn’t have won Formula 3 and Formula 2.”
According to Todt, however, Mick Schumacher may have been “too nice” for Formula 1. “Sometimes you have to pull out your elbows,” explains Todt. “And I know from my time as team principal that a driver’s performance suffers immediately if he doesn’t feel comfortable. “
Jean Todt as Ferrari Team Principal and FIA President
Todt was team principal of the traditional Formula 1 team Ferrari from 1993 to 2007 and was thus responsible for the entire Ferrari era of Mick Schumacher’s father Michael Schumacher, who won the world championship five times in a row from 2000 to 2004. Todt then turned his attention to sports politics: from 2009 to 2021, he was President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
At the beginning of his career, the now 78-year-old actively competed in motorsport himself and was a co-driver in rally cars for many years, including at WRC level. He then moved into management and headed up Peugeot’s sports department, and did so successfully: Peugeot won the World Rally Championship, the Dakar Rally and the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times. This was followed by being poached by Ferrari.
Todt is married to the actress Michelle Yeoh. He has a son from his first marriage: Nicolas Todt is a motorsport manager and looks after Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, among others.
