Micheal Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a Formula One driver whom many consider to be not just the greatest athlete in motor sporting history but one of the best sportsmen of all times. With seven Formula One World Drivers Championship titles under his belt, he is cited by the Formula One website as “statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen”.
Humble Beginnings
Schumacher was born to a bricklayer father and an ordinary working mother in Hürth Hermülheim on January 3, 1969. He started with driving a kart at roughly four years old and was the youngest member of a karting club in his local town when his father brought him for membership. His father, who took a second job to financially support his son’s karting activities, ignited Schumacher’s passion for racing.
Formula 3 Career
Schumacher joined Willi Weber’s WTS Formula 3 team in 1989. The following year he won the German Formula 3 series title. Near the end of 1990, he joined in the World Sports Prototype Championship which he was later victorious at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in a Sauber-Mercedes C11 during the season finale.
Eddie Jordan Signs Him Up
Schumacher was signed by Eddie Jordan with Jordan-Ford to debut his Formula One driving career during the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. Much to Jordan’s disappointment, Schumacher signed with Benetton-Ford shortly after his debut. During his first year with Formula One, Schumacher’s best performance was during the Italian Grand Prix where he finished fifth, outpacing his team mate Nelson Piquet, a three-time world champion.
Early Formula 1 Success
In 1992, Schumacher made it to the podium for the first time when he placed third during the Mexican Grand Prix. At the Belgian Grand Prix, he was victorious in a wet race on a difficult circuit which pushed him even further up the championship rankings. The 1992 season was a great year for Schumacher placing him third in the overall Drivers Championship and marking him as a driver to watch in coming years.
1993 - A Quiet Season
The 1993 season was dominated mainly by Alain Prost and Damon Hill, Schumacher only won at the Portuguese Grand Prix, retired in seven out of 15 races and placed fourth in the overall rankings. This probably wasn’t the year he had expected but nevertheless it was a good year and some lessons well learnt.
1994-1995 - Back To Back Championships
Schumacher won his first championship title in 1994, a victory amidst a sad occasion: Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger died during the San Marino Grand Prix. There were also allegations for cheating but Schumacher proved again his capability as a driver by winning another Drivers’ Championship the following year.
Schumacher & Ferrari
Schumacher joined Ferrari in 1996 which back then wasn’t the big name it is today. In fact he joined the team at their lowest point taking them from an average formula one team to what is now considered one of the greatest teams ever to have existed in formula 1 history; looking back on things Ferrari credits schumacher greatly for its rapid rise to Formula One success.
It’s through Schumacher’s decision to go from back to back championships to joining a lesser team and rebuilding them up to be the team they are today that really demonstrates the amazing driving and leadership skills this man possessed. He didn’t win a single drivers championship during the years 1996-1999 but was instrumental in their victory as the world constructor champions in 1999.
5 More Championships - 2000-2004
After the intial teething period with Ferrari he finally took them to 5 straight drivers championship victories giving schumacher a total of 7 world championships to his name. After retiring in 2006, and being hailed by many as the greatest all round racing driver in the history of formula one schumacher has continued his work with ferrari as both an assistant and a test driver.