Schumacher at Mercedes — Photo: © LAT Images

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Former Mercedes chief admits Schumacher BANNED from F1 garage

Mick Schumacher was carefully protected by loving parents

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Sunday 28 January 2024 17:57

A former Mercedes chief has revealed how Mick Schumacher was banned from an F1 team garage by his own parents.

Nick Fry, who was CEO at Mercedes and acted as Honda's team principal in the team's earlier guise in the mid-2000s, has revealed how protective the Schumacher family were over Mick while Michael Schumacher was racing in the sport.

While Mick, who is now a reserve driver at Mercedes and set to compete in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine this season, was allowed to attend grands prix, his doting parents were keen to keep him out of the limelight.

Mick Schumacher would attend grands prix to see his father Michael Schumacher race

Nicky Fry speaks to Michael Schumacher during their time at Mercedes

Protecting Mick Schumacher

Fry has opened up on his personal relationship with the Schumachers and how protective they were over Mick who also competed in F1 with the Haas team in 2021 and 2022.

I think the family side of Michael provided my fondest memories of him, such as our sons playing together, he claimed in quotes from OLBG.

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"I also fondly remember how Michael and Corinna protected their kids. It was always cute to see Mick, who was a teenager at the time, not being allowed into the garage, but he'd be behind it and looking across at his dad’s car.

"They protected him from the glare of publicity as much as they could. Mick would have been so proud of his dad, and it was lovely to see that relationship.

"That's why it's sad that Michael isn't able to help his son's career and see it develop in the same way the kids were for his."

Mercedes Alpine Haas Michael Schumacher Mick Schumacher Honda