Hugo Hakkinen not following Mick Schumacher to F1

Dec.18 (GMM) In 1999, as Mika Hakkinen won his second world championship, arch F1 rival Michael Schumacher welcomed a son - Mick - into the world.

Similarly, it was in 2000 when Schumacher and Hakkinen had their now legendary overtaking dice at Spa -- the same year that the Finn's son Hugo was born.

Now, Mick is racing towards F1 stardom.

It seems the 16-year-old German is hedging his bets between a future at Ferrari or Mercedes, the teams his father Michael most famously raced for.

Kolner Express newspaper reports that Mick's team in German Formula 4, Van Amersfoort, has completed its switch for 2016 from Volkswagen to Mercedes power.

And the report added that Schumacher jr looks set to split his time next year between the German series and also Italian F4, with the Ferrari-linked Prema team.

The next step for 2017, it would seem, is the highly-competitive world of European F3, from which Max Verstappen launched his own F1 career.

But it's a different story for Hakkinen's son Hugo, the 1998 and 1999 title winner reveals.

In 2012, we reported that Hugo embarked on a full season in the Italian kart championship, with Mika saying at the time: "I see now what a hunger my son Hugo has."

But now, Hakkinen reports: "Hugo tried karting, and he was good, but it was not his passion.

"He is 15 now, and his passion is football. He is committed to trying to become a professional football player and I will support him in that," the Finn wrote in a McLaren blog.

"I do not mind that he will not become a professional racing driver, although I would have supported him if that is what he had wanted," Hakkinen added. "You support your kids like that, don't you?"