Just like seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, Mick Schumacher spends his time away from the race track performing skydives. The former Haas racer has completed over 1600 dives since making his first one as an eight-year-old.
Explaining the origins of his hobby to Motorsport.com, Schumacher said: “My first skydive, if I remember right, I was eight or nine years old. It was obviously a tandem jump. Basically going up, I did not really like it so much, and then my sister did it and I was like ‘Damn, if my sister could do it, now I have to do it’.
“So I jumped out with my eyes closed, but I loved it so much I went back up again straight away. When I was old enough, I went out on my own, that was when I was 16. I have 1,600 jumps now and have a licence.”
According to the German racer, his time in the air comes with a performance benefit when he is behind the wheel. “It is not only an opportunity for me to get to know my body better, you have this ordination of feet, hands, body, head and eyes, and what they do,” he stated.
It gives you an idea of what to do when racing but it also gives you knowledge about weather and winds. Sometimes you might get pushed into a peculiar position so you have to act quickly.
That [is something] I knew how to do from racing but it helps to emphasise it time and again, especially when you have no security around you like in a race car. I love doing it because it was something I shared with my dad.”
