Mick Schumacher: “We have achieved all our objectives”

What is your feeling after completing your first race in the shoes of a starter? Formula 1 ?

It was hard, but fun. I should say that I'm happy, because it's always been my dream to be in this position, but I'm a little disappointed because of my mistake in Turn 4 during the restart after the intervention of the safety car ( following his teammate's accident mazepin in the first round. Editor’s note). The car swerved and everything happened very quickly. Mistakes are part of the learning process.

I hope this doesn't happen again. Our final 16th place is flattering on paper, because if we are last classified, we have fulfilled all our objectives. I understand the car better and better and I have gathered a lot of information that I will try to apply next weekend. I love working with the team. It’s really a great group of guys and girls. We work very well together. It’s up to us to ensure that we improve the equipment at our disposal and progress little by little.

When you got up this morning (Sunday. Editor's note), we imagine that your main objective was to reach the finish?

Absolutely. That was clearly the goal. I wanted to collect as much data as possible to get an idea of ​​how an entire Grand Prix weekend unfolds. I think I've gathered a lot of information. Now it's up to me to review them, analyze them, and draw the right lessons from them.

What aspect surprised you the most about your debut in the premier category?

Succeed in maintaining the right level of grip with the tires, because these compounds tend to cool very quickly. During the restart, I did everything to keep them warm, but it was really complicated. The car became unpredictable; which is why I made this mistake at turn 4. After that, our stint with the C2 compound (the hardest compound brought by Pirelli to Bahrain. Editor's note) was very satisfactory.

How different is the physical challenge compared to the shorter events you were used to competing in the promotional formulas?

An F1 Grand Prix doesn't seem that long behind the wheel actually, because we have several pit stops. The stints are therefore quite short, between 15 and 20 laps, and there are lots of things happening. Time flies by from the cockpit.

When you're used to playing up front in the lower tiers, how difficult is it to adapt to life at the back of the grid?

My state of mind has not changed: I want to do my best. The material we have in our hands is what it is and we can only focus on making it progress. It’s the same mentality that drives the top teams. They are constantly looking for the slightest performance gain.

Let's go back to your first qualifying session. What feelings did it give you?

I was very happy with the feeling behind the wheel. You can always improve naturally. These single-seaters are very sensitive to wind. You have to know how to anticipate the behavior of the car and that comes with experience and driving. And the conditions changed radically after the third free practice session. We made a first timed attempt to understand where the balance of the car was, with the ambition of putting everything together on the second lap.

But the tide, once again, has turned. However, I have the feeling that we have maximized our result, even if we can still unlock performance. The winter tests were very short, with a pair of half-days, and the first and second free practice sessions were, this season, reduced (from 1h30 to 1h. Editor's note). Given this limited mileage, I am generally satisfied with our performance in this area.

Do you think you will have the opportunity to come and tease the other teams in pure performance over the rest of the season?

I really think so. I'm going to work a lot on myself. I can see the motivation in the team members. And I see no reason not to be optimistic and not aim for an entry into Q2 at some point this season.

What relationship do you have with your teammate Nikita Mazepin?

We have known each other since the 2013 season, when we teamed up at Tony Kart. I remember we had already done a race together before that. One of my teammates told me to pay attention to you (Nikita is next to him. Editor’s note), because you had an aggressive style (laughs. Editor’s note). In 2014, I was in the KF3 category and he was in KF2.

After that, we often found ourselves in the same races and the same championships. We met each other almost everywhere. Respect exists between us. From now on, we work closely together. It will be interesting to see how the relationship develops.

How does it feel to race against riders like Kimi Räikkönen or Fernando Alonso, who faced your father on the track?

It's funny to think that they faced two generations (of Schumacher. Editor’s note). This shows that they have been there for a while and that they have had a great career, hence their longevity. I know Kimi quite well. He is always very nice to me and always gives me a few tips on occasion.