London: Mick Schumacher starts his Formula 1 career this weekend in Bahrain as a rookie like no other.
As the son of the man who until last year was the most successful grand prix driver of all time, the 22-year-old’s path to the top of the sport has long seemed pre-ordained.
And as Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick will have the eyes of the world on him this year like perhaps no other debutant in F1 ever has before.
But if that adds weight as he embarks on the most difficult challenge of his life, you would not know it.
Asked how he handles carrying the legacy of his father back into F1, he tells BBC sports editor Dan Roan: It is motivation and pride. I am happy to be here; I am happy to have brought back the Schumacher name into F1.
‘I have done it with championships on my back so we have proven I am able to drive a race car. So I don’t feel a blink of pressure from it.’
Right now, Schumacher has the wide-eyed optimism one might expect from a young man who has achieved what he describes as a lifelong dream and is about to embark on a journey full of possibilities. Even the little things are filling him with joy.