Alesi concerned by Mick Schumacher ’media exposure’

Former F1 driver Jean Alesi has expressed alarm at the "media exposure" surrounding Michael Schumacher’s 16-year-old son.

Mick Schumacher’s step from karting to the German Formula 4 series this year has captured the imagination of the world’s media.

But former Ferrari driver Alesi’s 15-year-old son, Giuliano, also made the move into F4 this year, in the French edition of the junior category.

Already in 2015, Alesi junior - who wears his father’s familiar helmet livery - has won two races from pole position.

Mick has also won a race early in his car racing career, but many around the world might not have even known that Alesi has a son that had begun his own rise to formula one.

On the other hand, Italian outlets like Tuttosport have hailed the young Schumacher, proclaiming: "With his debut, it is clear that the genes of his father have been passed on."

Alesi insisted: "There is no jealously, in fact for me Mick is like a child.

"I also understand the special situation that Michael is in now has had an effect on all of this attention — I think he (Michael) would not have allowed this media exposure," he added.

Frenchman Alesi also thinks he made the right choice to direct Giuliano into French F4, "because there are no teams — the 20 cars are all operated by the French academy that launched Bourdais, Grosjean and Vergne".

"So there are no excuses," Alesi added, "it is the driver making the difference and not the team."