The entry to the ranch itself

The entry to the ranch itself is a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of deal. There's nothing obvious about it that would tell you one of sport's most famous athletes owns this spot of land, nothing to say it is more noteworthy than any of the other gated properties which line Highway 377. This is remote and rural Texas -- go too far north along the road and you hit the Red River, which divides Texas and Oklahoma.

The only giveaway about the property you are about to enter are three metallic horses which line the side of the road before a large black gate, with a big letter 'S' adorning either frame. Inside is a state-of-the-art facility for raising and breeding horses, owned by Mick's mother Corinna, where his sister Gina, a professional equestrian, also trains Brock Vradenburg Jersey

Schumacher's father Michael bought the ranch in 2012 to escape the fame and adulation of Europe and the rest of the world. Before the Schumachers arrived it had been untouched for nearly two decades and was home to roaming deer and bobcats. It was intended to be home away from home for the Schumachers and even in the age of 'Drive to Survive', Michael's 23-year-old son can still enjoy the escape from reality the ranch was intended to be.

"We're in the middle of nowhere here, basically," Mick Schumacher says. "If I go shopping here no one notices. Even if I go into Dallas nobody really recognises me. So I'm definitely happier around here."

When we spoke at the ranch in October, Mick Schumacher's F1 future hung in the balance. It now looks likely to stall after two years -- Haas is set to replace him with the more experienced Nico Hulkenberg for 2023. Schumacher's next step remains unclear. Trent Farquhar Jersey

Schumacher's surname and his father's legacy -- seven world championships and 91 grand prix wins -- have followed Mick wherever he's gone. He's never shied away from it, but from the outside its felt like a huge cross to bear at a lot of moments of his young career, which included championships in Formula 3 and Formula 2 before he joined the F1 grid in 2021.

The circumstances might have changed since we spoke, but it is clear he has no intention of giving up on his dream of F1 any time soon.

When asked if he might have followed his sister's footsteps or preferred a life on a ranch to one as a professional athlete, had F1 never been in the equation, he dismisses the idea.

"I never play with the thought of not doing racing," he says. "Formula One is so much... I love it so much, so there's no reason to think what I would do otherwise." Peter Ahn Jersey

Like Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Bruno Senna, Schumacher's surname has been a help and a hindrance at different points in his career. It is hard to find F1 fans who do not want the story of Mick Schumacher to be a successful one. His karting career started shortly after his father was seriously injured in a skiing accident in December 2013. Michael's current status remains a closely guarded secret -- the family's privacy has, for the most part, been respected. Bryan Broecker Jersey

It has created another level to the burden Schumacher has had to carry. The family has done its best to protect him from the questions. Schumacher has carried himself remarkably well for such a young man with so much on his shoulders. He has embraced who he is, racing with the number '47', which he says denotes that he is racing "for seven", the number perhaps most closely associated with his dad.

"Pressure has always been part of my life. Especially since I chose racing as a profession. I think I've proven I'm capable of racing under pressure, probably even better than without pressure.