Mick Schumacher to drive father Michael’s W02 at Goodwood

Mick Schumacher will again get to drive one of his father Michael’s old F1 cars on his debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The Mercedes reserve driver will take to the wheel of the 2011 W02 on two days of the event that runs in July.

That year was the second of Michael Schumacher’s comeback era following a three-year hiatus on the sidelines after initially retiring at the end of 2006.

Schumacher and then team-mate Nico Rosberg did not win a race that season in the car, the last occasion Mercedes failed to take the chequered flag over a full year. The seven-time F1 champion’s best finish was fourth in the Canadian Grand Prix.

Former Haas driver Mick has already driven a Jordan, Benetton and Ferrari in which his father competed, the latter in 2020 when he drove the Scuderia’s F2004 around Mugello ahead of the Tuscan Grand Prix.

On his latest drive in the W02, Mick said: “It’s going to be spectacular to run in my dad’s 2011 car, the W02, even if it is only a short run. Just experiencing this generation of cars will be mega.”

Schumacher, who will undertake runs at Goodwood on July 15 and 16 in the normally-aspirated 2.4-litre V8, added: “Knowing that he raced this car makes it extra special, and there will be many emotions coming with it.

“I have been lucky enough to drive one of his Benetton cars and some of the Ferraris he raced, but this will be the first time behind the wheel of a Mercedes he drove.

“I am sure I will get out of it with a big smile on my face.”

Esteban Gutierrez will also drive Mercedes’ W12 at Goodwood, the car that helped the team win the last of its eight consecutive constructors’ championships that year, and came within a whisker of landing Lewis Hamilton his eighth drivers’ title.