Michael Schumacher's son joins Ferrari family; Chinese teammate development driver for Renault F1

Ferrari welcomed a new Schumacher to its family.

The Scuderia signed F1 legend Micheal Schumacher's son Mick to its Driver Academy.

19-year-old Mick Schumacher won the F3 European Championship with Prema Racing in 2018 and will be racing for the same team in F2 this coming season.

Mick Schumacher celebrates after winning the FIA Formula Three European Championship at the Hockenheim race track in Hockenheim, western Germany, on October 14, 2018. [File Photo: Daniel ROLAND/AFP]

Schumacher Jr. will drive in two tests with Ferrari, starting with pre-season preparations next week.

He already participated in Ferrari's post-season tests in Abu Dhabi last November.

"This is another step forward in the right direction, and I can only profit from the immense amount of expertise bundled there. Be sure I will make everything to extract whatever helps me achieve my dream, racing in Formula 1," says Schumacher Jr.

Mick Schumacher has many ties with Ferrari. His father Michael won 5 of his record 7 F1 world championships with the Italian team and the teenager teamed up with Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel in the Race of Champions in Mexico earlier this week.

"For someone like me who has known him from birth, there's no doubt that welcoming Mick into Ferrari has a special emotional meaning, but we have chosen him for his talent and the human and professional qualities that have already distinguished him despite his young age," says new Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto.

Zhou Guanyu wins the F3 European Championship race in Hockenheim, Germany on October 14, 2018. [File Photo: IC]

Schumacher Jr.'s Chinese teammate Zhou Guanyu from Prema Racing also graduated from F3 and will be competing in F2 in the 2019 season for the UNI-Virtuosi squad.

The 19-year-old signed up for Renault's Sport Academy and will double as Renault F1 team's development driver in the simulator and engineering briefings.

Zhou won two races in F3 last season and is considered the "driver that is closest to F1" in China.