Vettel: Schumacher can come to me any time

Sebastian Vettel has welcomed Mick Schumacher to Ferrari, saying his fellow German can ask him for advice at any time after signing to the Development Programme at Maranello. Vettel grew up idolising Mick's father – seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher – and reportedly benefitted from his advice while embarking on his title-winning run with Red Bull.

The teenaged Schumacher burst firmly onto the conscious of motorsport fans, and F1 bosses, in 2018 as he won his first title at junior level in European Formula 3.

He will step up to Formula 2 in 2019, but perhaps his most notable move is into Ferrari's academy, which is likely to benefit him with a F1 test later in the year.

The prospect of the Schumacher name returning to Ferrari is made all the more poignant by Michael Schumacher's drop out of the public eye after suffering traumatic head injuries in a skiing incident.

Presentation of the SF90 ???? Präsentation des SF90. #ForzaFerrari #essereFerrari #ferraridriveracademy #FDA #SF90 #TeamMS #SCM pic.twitter.com/uNKvM4mnIF — Mick Schumacher (@SchumacherMick) February 17, 2019

Asked if he held extra emotions when welcoming Schumacher Jnr to Ferrari, Vettel told RTL: "Honestly, no. First and foremost because we've already known each other for a long time, I got to know him when he was a little boy.

"Now of course it's nice for him to see that he has gone on. He's done very well and I think he will do his job [here] well too.

"At the moment when we spend time together or talk or whatever, it's only for a short time, but he knows that if he ever has any questions then he can come to me any time."

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