Feb.22 (GMM) Luca Baldisserri, an engineer who formerly worked closely with F1 legend Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, has confirmed he is now overseeing the career of the great German’s son Mick.
Baldisserri recently left Ferrari in order to mentor new Williams development driver Lance Stroll, who drives for the Ferrari-linked Italian F3 team Prema.
Schumacher, 16, has also now joined Prema to race for the outfit in Formula 4.
Baldisserri said it has not been decided yet if the youngster will race in the Italian or German series in 2016.
“The rules allow us to withhold our decision until the beginning of the season,” he told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Baldisserri said he sees a lot of pressure being put on Schumacher by his famous surname.
“Mick is just a teenager, but everything he does already is compared with his father. This is not easy for a boy but he nevertheless has to deal with it.”
As for any insight Baldisserri might have into the health condition of Schumacher’s seven time world champion father, he insisted: “The rules are clear: Mick says nothing about his father and I do not ask.
“I respect the privacy of the family.
“Mick had the support of his father when he started karting some years ago, as it was a great happiness to him,” Baldisserri added.
Meanwhile, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he has no intention of going to Schumacher’s home in Switzerland to visit the stricken F1 legend.
“That’s the last thing I would want to do,” said the 85-year-old.
“I hear mixed reports about Michael, but I only want to see him again when we can speak face-to-face and have a nice discussion.”