F1: Mick Schumacher ‘joins Ferrari driver academy’

Reports in Italy claim that Mick Schumacher has joined the Ferrari driver academy.

Although the Formula 1 team are yet to confirm the news, Sky in Italy is reporting that the 19-year-old will take part in two tests.

The youngster is the son of Michael Schumacher, the German racing icon who won five of his seven F1 titles with Ferrari. Schumacher junior won his first single-seater title last year in Formula 3 and this season he will race in Formula 2 with the Prema team.

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In October he was tipped by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff to one day become an F1 “great” and former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger added: “Mick has the racing genes of Michael. If he can continue to deliver performances like these, he will find his way into F1.”

The BBC says that Schumacher’s manager Sabine Kehm has not responded to requests for comment.

2019 times confirmed

Formula 1 has confirmed the race start times for the 2019 grand prix calendar.

The 2019 season will feature 21 races across five continents starting in Australia on 17 March and ending in Abu Dhabi on 1 December.

This year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone will take place on Sunday 14 July and the race will start at 2.10pm.

Red Bull retain Buemi

Sebastien Buemi has been retained by Red Bull Racing to be a reserve driver for the 2019 F1 season. The Swiss 30-year-old drove in F1 for Toro Rosso, Red Bull’s junior team, from 2009 to 2011 and in his 55 races he won 29 points.