Everything
The most decorated last name is Formula 1 history will return to the grid next season with Haas announcing that Mick Schumer, son of Michael, will join their team for 2021.
While the 21-year-old is currently leading the table in Formula 2, the pressure will be immeasurable as he looks to compete with not only the other drivers but the looming shadow of his father. Michael remains the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time, a Ferrari legend and seven-time world champion.
Perhaps adding to the interest, and spectacle is the sad fate that has befallen the Schumacher family. Michael has not been seen in public since suffering severe head injuries in a skiing accident in the French Alps in 2013. At a press conference announcing the news, Mick acknowledged the role his father had played in leading to this moment.
“I want to acknowledge and extend my love to my parents,” said the younger Schumacher.
“I know that I owe them everything. I have always believed that I would realise my dream of Formula 1.”
“The prospect of being on the grid next year makes me incredibly happy, and I’m simply speechless.”
As Mick prepares to make F1 debut next season (on the 30th anniversary of his father’s debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix) we couldn’t help but reminisce over some of our other favourite Father-Son sporting duos.
NFL: Archie, Eli and Peyton Manning
Talk about a good gene pool, the Manning men certainly know how to throw a football, and it all started with Archie Manning way back in 1971. Manning Senior spent 13 seasons in the NFL across three franchises, New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings. But it’s his two youngest sons, Peyton and Eli that really made the Manning family name famous around the world. The two quarterbacks boast four Super Bowl wins between them with Peyton widely considered the top QB of all time.
BOXING: Kostya and Tim Tszyu
When fighting is in your blood, the pull to follow in your father’s footsteps seems particularly compelling. You may duck and weave, but it gets you in the end. The sport boasts a long line of father-son combos, with Tim and Kostya Tszyu the latest on that list.
Russian-born Kostya was a superstar in the 1990s, winning the IBF title in front of a sell-out crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tim is now carving his path, having defeated Australian star Jeff Horn in August, he is set to face New Zealander Bowyn Morgan on December 16th in Sydney.
BASEBALL: Bobby and Barry Bonds
Never again will baseball see a father-son combo that could hit them like the San Francisco Giants’ Bobby and Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds still holds the Major League Baseball home run record with 762, while Bobby was the first player to have more than two seasons of 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He achieved that feat a remarkable five times in a row.
Guess who the only other player to do that was? His son, Barry.
BASKETBALL: Dell and Stephen Curry
Long before Drake rapped about ‘Steph Curry with the shot’ it was Steph’s old man Dell that was making it rain. The 56-year-old lit up the NBA from 1986 until 2002 before retiring as the Charlotte Hornets all-time leading point scorer. But in a case of anything you can do, I can do better, Dell’s son Stephen has risen to the top of the ranks in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors.
His career is littered with achievements including three NBA titles, two MVP wins and six All-Star appearances. While an injury-ravaged 2019-20 season saw him drift away from the likes of LeBron and Kevin Durant, Steph Curry is still untouchable on his day.
FOOTBALL: Patrick and Justin Kluivert
Spare a thought for footballer Justin Kluivert, son of Barcelona legend Patrick Kluivert. Currently plying his trade in Italy’s Serie A with Roma, Justin has shown serious promise on the pitch, but it’s doubtful he will ever live up to the dizzying benchmark set by his father. In 2004 Patrick was named on a list of the 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time, and he remains the third-highest goal scorer for the Netherlands.
