Glock: Schumacher would boost F1 ratings

Mick Schumacher would reinvigorate interest in formula one within Germany.

That is the view of Timo Glock, a former grand prix driver who is now in the paddock as a pundit for German television.

He told the Rheinische Post that young Schumacher is ready for the next step in his career.

"I've talked to him a couple of times and I think for him, his best options now are GP3 or Formula 2. Either way, he would be closer to formula one," he said.

"If F1 had a Schumacher again, it would boost the interest in Germany. Right now the ratings are good with an average of 4 million viewers. But at the height of Michael Schumacher, it was more like 10 million.

"The current drop is normal and we saw it when Boris Becker and Steffi Graf finished their careers," Glock added.

Glock, who now races in the German touring car series DTM, also lamented the latest driver developments in F1, with the talented Esteban Ocon set to be ousted by Lance Stroll, the son of a billionaire.

"They are dramatic developments and show that the sport is going in the wrong direction," he said.

"Of course, the best teams have the best drivers in the world, but behind them there is more and more of a question mark. I honestly think the driving level is higher in DTM."

About the author

Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

Related topics