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Like Father, Like Son

November 23 - 30, 2016
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Gulf Weekly Like Father, Like Son

Gulf Weekly Kristian Harrison
By Kristian Harrison

The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) named the first corner of its track after severely injured F1 legend Michael Schumacher with the family’s blessing. At the weekend his son Mick did his father proud in Sakhir by winning two races.

This stunning GulfWeekly photograph captures the teenager racing in car 25 at the Schumacher turn during the MRF Challenge 2016 championship he now leads. His father fell and hit his head during a family skiing holiday in the French Alps in 2013. He was airlifted to hospital, placed in a medically induced coma and continues his recovery at his home in Switzerland.

Schumi Snr won the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004 and recorded an unprecedented seven world championships during his illustrious career. His 17-year-old son continues to impress on the track.

Mick Schumacher became the first member of his famous family to drive around the Michael Schumacher Turn as he stormed to victory in two of the four MRF Challenge 2016 races held during the weekend’s Bahrain Motorsport Festival.

The 17-year old German won Race Two on Friday and Race Four on Sunday, to go alongside a fifth-place finish in Race One and a third place in Race Three. He now leads the championship after the first round, with a total of 75 points.

After the fourth race, he said: “I am happy with the overall start to the championship. In the last race I felt it was important to get past my rivals at the start in order to win. The circuit was enjoyable to drive and now I look forward to the next race in Dubai.”

In 2014, the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) named the first corner of its track after Mick’s father, the F1 legend who won a record seven world championships and 91 races, who remains in a serious condition after a skiing accident.

Michael won the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004 and still holds the lap record. He had strong connections with the BIC outside of his participation in racing and was directly involved in the early stages of the BIC’s development, offering his own input into the design of the track, including the layout of turn one which eventually was renamed in his honour.







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