The off-season is almost over and the awaited 2022 season is about to start. Mick Schumacher is ready to get back to the car.

“It´s great being back to start the season and get going because we´ve been looking forward to this for so long time now. We´ve been talking about it last year and it´s finally coming very close to the first time we´re driving it.”

It was a relaxing winter for Mick who took part with Sebastian Vettel in the Race of Champions and spent some time Stateside.
"I spent two weeks in the states visiting my sister and her boyfriend. I went horse riding and did a bunch of things which I just wanted to do.”

However, the young German didn´t lose focus on what´s coming ahead.

“Obviously, keep on training as well…I was having an eye on what the project looks like this year and I always keep in touch with the team. I think we´re on a very good path for a successful year.”

Although difficult the 2021 season was a learning experience for the former F3 and F2 champion.

“I think it´s important to look back, learn see what we´ve could´ve done better because this year is an important year. I think we have all the tools in a place that hopefully will bring us forwards and hopefully consistently on the points.”

He later added on the lessons from his rookie season to “never stop trying, just always be on your toes and try to look for the next step, the extra tenths even if there´s nothing to fight for but in reality, there´s a lot to fight for so that´s actually what I want to take away from last year and which I will try this year even if we´re further up ahead it´s still about maximizing what we have and even trying to get more out of it than sometimes it´s possible.”

It´s  all about learning for the young Schumacher when it comes to the approach of the new season.

“There´s always things understand, it never stops, and I think that obviously with the regulations changes it just emphasizes that learning curve and obviously already knowing what is coming my way, how things develop over the season I think I´m a bit more prone on what is awaiting and coming my way. So, I just know how to deal with it. Probably just a bit better than what I did last year.”

The new regulations have been the trending topic of the last months, when Schumacher was asked on the effects of the new regulations for 2022 he explained:

“You study it in the sense that you see the numbers, you see what people predict, but you will not know until you have driven the car what it´s going to be like. At the end, it´s up to those tests to find out what we can extract out of the car and if the numbers match from what we see on the track….it´s just about putting everything together.”

Haas was among the first teams to show their 2022 car. Mick´s first impressions of the VF22 are positive.

“I like it. It looks very different to last year. I think that the direction we chose in that sense I think is the right one. If it pays off, we´ll see after the first tests. I think we´ve put a lot of thought into it, the guys back in the factory have been working on the longest time it feels like. I´m sure we have the tools in place to have a successful year.”

About how important experience is when new regulations come in, Schumacher believes "it will play a role but nonetheless we are also professionals, we keep working hard, you can always find that little edge, that little extra bit in the lap time and the work you put behind the scenes….We have to try and work out how are we able to extract the maximum from every single moment we are on track but also working and trying to figure out what we need to go faster.“

This season will see the return of tracks after 2 years and the arrival of new venues. It´s the classic that calls the young driver attention.

“I think Suzuka is one of my highlights this year. Hopefully we get to go there. It´s a crazy track and also the fans are amazing from what I´ve heard. I just want to experience it for myself.”

The German is also looking forward to Spa Francorchamps after the cancellation in 2021.

“[It's] probably one of the most prestigious tracks you can drive on and also most demanding. It´s gonna be fun driving with these cars thinking that we have a different approach in terms of aerodynamics which are gonna play a big role specially in Spa because of those fast but tight corners. It´s gonna be interesting to see and feel the difference between the two cars. Hopefully, we´ll have a good car so we can race for some points.”

Will extra simulator time help to any particular circuits? Schumacher believes “just those tracks that I haven´t driven yet which are going to be Melbourne, Singapore, Suzuka and Montreal. It´s just about getting the timing on the simulator before we get there in the real car cause the other tracks, I have driven in I have an idea out there and how the track should feel. So, I think I´m a bit more prepared for those.”

Sprint races made their debut last year and will continue in the upcoming season, about this Mick explains:

“I think for the new changes it does mean that we have the FP2 to try out things in a sense that we can´t change anything on the car but we can do some changes within the regulations so, I´m sure that a lot of teams, specially at the beginning, will try out some different things. I think it´s gonna be interesting to see how people are gonna approach this year compared to last year. We´re better prepared compared to last year so, I think it should be a positive for us.”

Targets for 2022? He is positive but doesn´t rush to set targets and goals.

“I think it´s hard to set targets right now. I haven´t driven the car yet. I haven´t seen how it feels. Obviously, we always want the best, to achieve the greatest, and put the targets as high as possible but sometimes it´s good to wait a bit before doing that, to see how things develop and obviously take targets from there.”

He also added: “I think 2022 is a year where everybody can show what they have …Teams are able to show that they´ve been working really hard and same for the drivers, we are able now to show that we´re able to adapt quickly to a new car. That is something I would set as a target, trying to adapt as quickly as possible to the new regulations and new car.”