Mick Schumacher in high demand for Hockenheim weekend

Mick Schumacher

Schumacher in high demand for Hockenheim weekend

A German GP with a Schumacher involved is extra special.

Matthew Scott

Sunday 19 May 2019 16:18

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Organisers at the Hockenheimring are determined to see Mick Schumacher in action at the German Grand Prix weekend in any kind of capacity. Schumacher's growing relevance in the motorsport world has begun to reignite its popularity in Germany after years of decline.

Even through Sebastian Vettel's most dominant years, F1's popularity in Germany has been on the wane since the glory days of Mick's father Michael Schumacher.

Ticket sales for this year's Hockenheim race are down on last year, when Vettel was in title contention, and the circuit's bosses are determined to remedy it by having Schumacher Jnr in action.

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Jorn Teske, Hockenheim's marketing chief, told Motorsport.com: "There could maybe be a test, or a demonstration run in an old Ferrari from his father, or whatever.

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"We would like to see him on the track in an F1 car. That's important."

Hockenheim's bosses have previously revealed that attempts to get Formula 2 added to the weekend' schedule when Schumacher was announced fell flat.

"We made the decision makers aware very early that this is important for the German race," Teske said. "We told them when Mick won the F3 championship at our race in Hockenheim, we told them when it was announced that he's racing for Prema in F2. We tried to convince them and made a lot of pressure.

"When the F2 calendar was published, we were really disappointed.

"I know there were efforts afterwards from Liberty Media, that's good. I think they realised lately the importance of Mick for Germany, the big enthusiasm Mick is bringing to the sport and to Germany. Maybe at that time it was too late."

It has been reported that Hockenheim could drop off the calendar in 2020, something that will become especially painful if Schumacher makes the step up to F1 next year.

"The problem will be if we no longer have a Formula 1 contract today, it will be difficult to get a Formula 1 contract in the future as well," circuit boss Georg Seiler told Motorsport.com. "Because then the basis is different. The demands are certainly even higher than if you have a current contract.

"If Mick Schumacher drives in Formula 1, Formula 1 must come to Germany. That is our conviction. Contracts are possible. But we will not conclude a contract that could mean a loss."