Former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, who is still recuperating from a traumatic ski accident in the French Alps 16 months ago, would have been real proud had he seen his 17-year-old daughter Gina Maria wowed the crowd during a recent horse-riding event held in Germany.
Gina Maria’s horse-riding excellence was actually showcased just two weeks after her younger brother Mick also showed some form of brilliance during the pre-season preparations for his first season in Formula Four racing, reports the Express of United Kingdom.
The fascination of Michael’s daughter and son in their respective sport only shows that the competitive spirit and the sports blood run in their veins as much as it did with him, having been a seven-time Formula One champion during his racing career, cut short only by that tragic accident in the ski alps.
Gina Maria competed in the NRHA European Futurity Horse Show in the German town of Kreuth where she rode on the saddle of a number of different horses during the competition earlier this week.
She will be taking part in the final over the weekend where she is expected to showcase her fine form. She has a pretty good shot at the title if she continues with her excellent showing.
Following father’s footsteps
Meanwhile, Mick Schumacher will be vying to win in the German Formula Four Series as part of the Dutch Van Ammersfoort Racing team on April 25 and 26. The young Schumacher finished runner-up in the KF Junior Karting World and European Championship last year.
Mick will be partnering with fellow 16-year-old Harrison Newey, who happens to be the son of Formula One car designer Adrian Newey.
The 16-year-old young Schumacher has been very impressive in his father’s sport and he has reached a level just a few rungs below the F1 standard.
The April 25 and 26 event will be participated in by a total of 42 contestants and the inaugural racing event will be held at the Etropolis Motorsport Arena Oschersleben.
The other contestants whose fathers are also known in the racing circuits include Jonathan Cecotto, son of Johnny Cecotto, the former Formula 1 and DTM driver and former motorcycle world champion; Luca Engstler, the son of Franz Engstler, the former World Touring Car Championship contestant; and Cedric Piro, the son of Erwin Piro, former Formula Super V driver.
Mick Schumacher has already signed a deal with Van Ammersfoort following his success on the go-kart track which he started racing when he was just nine years old.
Team boss Frits van Amersfoort knows how good Mick’s father is in the car racing sport but he wants to emphasize that Mick needs all the time to learn the trade to really become an excellent race car driver.