MOTORSPORT: Schumacher's son enters car racing

Michael Schumacher's 15-year-old son is to follow in his famous father's tracks this season, stepping up from karting to car racing with the team that has propelled Dutch teenager Max Verstappen into Formula 1.

While the 46-year-old seven-time F1 world champion continues his recovery from his shocking skiing accident more than 14 months ago, his son Mick will compete in Germany's Formula 4 Championship.

F4 is the new wings-and-slicks open-wheeler junior formula that is being introduced globally, including in Australia mid-year – somewhat controversially over Formula Ford.

Mick Schumacher was runner-up in world, European and German karting championships last year.

Until now he has competed under the surname Betsch, his mother Corinna's maiden name, or as Mick Junior.

In F4 he will drive for Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing with which Max Verstappen finished runner-up in last year's European Formula 3 Championship.

Verstappen was signed by Red Bull's junior F1 team Scuderia Toro Rosso at 16 and will make his Grand Prix race debut in Melbourne next week at 17.

His father, Jos, competed in more than 100 GPs and was a teammate of Michael Schumacher's at Benetton more than 20 years ago.

Mick Schumacher's first F4 race will be at Germany's Oschersleben circuit in late April, by which time he will have turned 16.

"We have seen his skills in testing and we are looking forward to a successful season," F4 team owner Frits van Amersfoort said.

"In the last couple of years it has become a tradition for us that we offer the runner-up from the German junior karting championship a test session in our simulator.

"This is handled by the DMSB, the German motorsport authority, and that is how we first got in touch with Mick Schumacher last autumn.

"He spent a full day in the simulator at our headquarters in the Netherlands, then we witnessed him during a test session at Valencia [in Spain] and, eventually, we reached an agreement to compete together in this year's ADAC Formula 4 series."

Mick's uncle Ralf, another ex-F1 driver, is heavily involved with another team in the F4 series, Mucke Motorsport, which has also fielded cars in the Bathurst 12-Hour GT race.

Michael Schumacher was the most successful driver in F1 history, winning 91 GPs and seven world titles – both records.

He raced for Benetton, Ferrari and, following a three-year retirement, Mercedes after making his debut in 1991 with the Jordan team that is now Force India.

Schumacher suffered terrible head injuries while skiing with Mick at French resort Meribel between Christmas and New Year in 2013.

He was in hospital for nine months, then returned to his home near Switzerland's Lake Geneva, where his wife had arranged renovations for his convalescence.

Details of his condition remain sketchy, but it has been reported that he can at least recognize the voices of his family.

The last update on his health from his manager Sabine Kehm was in September, when she said: "Considering the severe head injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months. There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead."