Like father, like son? Not necessarily with Mick Schumacher -- but that's OK

The son of legendary Michael Schumacher is trying to make his own way -- and own name -- in Formula One

Mick Schumacher tried to avoid the attention brought on by his legendary last name. During the beginning of his karting days, Schumacher used his mother’s maiden name: Betsch. He then entered races as Mick Junior. These days, there is no escaping the Schumacher surname for Mick.

Schumacher has risen to the top of motorsport. He is in his second season of Formula One, driving for Haas. Ever since Schumacher arrived in Formula One, speculation has swirled around whether he can live up to his father’s legendary career.

It'll be @SchumacherMick's first #AusGP this weekend, but it's not his first visit to Melbourne on race week 🇦🇺

Read his latest Q&A 👉 https://t.co/yyQ5AssXkE#HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/nhdD1s2kc9

— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) April 6, 2022

His father, Michael, is arguably the best Formula One driver of all time. He won seven World Championships, which is tied for the most with Lewis Hamilton. Michael Schumacher won 91 races, second only to Hamilton. Michael Schumacher produced one of the most dominant stretches in Formula One history with Ferrari, winning five consecutive championships from 2000-2004. He also remains the only driver in Formula One history to win five straight titles.

So, when asking if Mick Schumacher can compete with his father’s career, the answer is simple.

No. Absolutely not.

Children of sports legends almost never achieve what their parents did. There are many reasons for this. For starters, the math is against them.

Look at Dale Earnhardt Jr. His father, Dale Earnhardt, was one of the best NASCAR drivers of all time. He won 76 races and seven Cup Series titles. Dale Jr. was a good driver who won 26 races, but he never won a Cup title. The odds of being the best at something thousands of people have tried to do are so small. Take those odds again with their children, and the chances are miniscule.

LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, is not going to be as good as his dad. Michael Jordan’s sons played Division I college basketball but didn’t make it to the NBA. There is a large sample size to make the same conclusion about Mick Schumacher.

Still, there are similarities between father and son Michael and Mick.

Happy Birthday, Dad❤️

Days like these were important to my growing passion for Motorsport, and still affect it to this day. I am grateful for all the experiences you have given me and I’m excited to be making new ones in the future. pic.twitter.com/aivNP2jlyK

— Mick Schumacher (@SchumacherMick) January 3, 2022

They were both 22 when they began their F1 careers. Michael was known for the close relationships he built with his mechanics and engineers. Mick seems to be following in his father’s footsteps in that department.

Michael always would praise the team and blame himself. Mick does the same.

“The car feels a lot better than last year, it’s a lot more competitive, obviously,” Mick Schumacher said recently. “We had a car in the top five (in Bahrain), which is amazing for the team. So, I’m really, really proud of that.”

Schumacher must deliver this year before a look into the future is warranted. He needs to be close to his Haas teammate, Kevin Magnussen, in the points this year. Obviously, Magnussen is more experienced, but he was a late addition to the team this year.

And yet, Magnussen has scored points in both races compared to zero points for Schumacher.

Mick Schumacher in action during last year's F1 race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Photo: Jerome Miron / USA Today Sports

If Mick Schumacher can deliver some good results this year, a career similar to  another guy with the last name Schumacher could be a possibility.

Ralf Schumacher, Mick’s uncle, had a solid Formula One career from 1997-2007. He won six races and had 27 podium finishes. He finished fourth in the championship twice. Ralf Schumacher had his best years at Williams when that team had a top-three car in the field.

The Schumacher name still resonates deeply in the racing world, drawing attention from fans and sponsors. If Mick can survive his time at Haas, he could be signed by a team at the top of the midfield.

At a team like McLaren, Schumacher could be the second driver behind Lando Norris. Alpine could sign Mick after Formula One legend Fernando Alonso retires. There, Schumacher could be the top driver and really show his skill.

For anyone who thinks Mick could be Michael: Pump the brakes, it’s not happening. There is only one Michael Schumacher.