Badoer will not say a word about Schumacher's current health
Jan.19 - Luca Badoer says he "won't say a word" about the current medical condition of his friend Michael Schumacher. As Schumacher's son Mick prepares to make his Formula 1 debut..
Name | Michael Schumacher |
Country | ![]() |
Place of Birth | Hürth-Hermülheim |
Date of Birth | Jan 3rd 1969 - 52 years old |
Season Entries | 19 |
First Race | 1991 Belgian Grand Prix |
Last Race | 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix |
First Pole | 1994 Monaco Grand Prix |
Last Pole | 2006 French Grand Prix |
First Win | 1992 Belgian Grand Prix |
Last Win | 2006 Chinese Grand Prix |
First Podium | 1992 Mexican Grand Prix |
Last Podium | 2012 European Grand Prix |
Michael Schumacher F1 Stats |
|
Drivers' Titles | 7 |
Race Entries | 308 |
Race Starts | 307 |
Race Wins | 91 (29,5%) |
Pole Positions | 68 (22,1%) |
Fastest Laps | 77 (25,0%) |
Podiums | 155 (50,3%) |
Points Finishes | 221 (71,8%) |
Retirements | 71 (23,1%) |
Hat-tricks | 22 |
Wins from pole | 40 |
Front Row Starts | 116 |
Total Points | 1.566 |
Total Laps | 16.703 |
For the moment let’s forget about the three seasons at Mercedes and focus purely on the 15 complete seasons he raced in his ‘first career’. If you do that then many will come to the conclusion that Michael Schumacher is one the greatest Formula 1 drivers they have seen and even the greatest of all time.
Very few people change a sport single-handedly but Schumacher did and he holds all the records that count: Seven World Championships, 91 Grand Prix victories, 155 podiums. He also got 68 Pole Positions (second all-time) and 1566 career points. No superlatives could give those stats justice.
The name Schumacher first arrived in the sport back in 1991. If you would have been a rich man if you then had used your matchbook sign up bonus code for placing some bets on his later records. The German had earned himself a mid-season drive with Jordan replacing the imprisoned Bertrand Gachot.
In a testing session at Silverstone, Eddie Jordan wondered whether they had shortened the track as Schumacher was going so fast.
Despite being extremely fortunate to land the drive, he impressed around the magical Spa circuit and qualified seventh before retiring on lap one in his first race.
Following that he had a contract in principle to race for Jordan the following season. But controversially he ended up at Benetton where he impressed further by coming third in the championship and claiming his first win at a wet Spa. A single success also followed in 1993 in Portugal but Schumacher and Benetton made their real mark in 1994.
Tragically, the death of Brazilian hero Ayrton Senna took away the opportunity for us to see two of the all-time greats from different generations battle for the championship. Schumacher had beaten Senna twice prior to his accident and a classic season seemed to be in store.
Damon Hill took the challenge to the German and only a suspect move made by Schumacher at the last race in Adelaide prevented the British man from becoming champion.
Schumacher won instead and became the first German champion, aged 25. The following year was a far smoother season for Michael. He dominated the championship and won nine races in the process to comfortably defend his title.
Schumacher took the sport to another level. Just as Fangio, Clark, Lauda and Senna had before, Schumacher’s performances were on another level and it was up to the rest to catch up.
His intensity and levels of fitness were unrivalled. Even at the end of his career in 2012, at the age of 43, few were fitter. It had such an effect that today it is a requirement for all drivers to be as fit. But Schumacher was ahead of the times.
In the winter of 1995, a deal was done that would shape Formula 1 forever. A labouring giant called in need of a star driver to drag them back to the top of the sport. It became official quickly. Schumacher signed for Ferrari.
The Italian outfit were in disarray having not won a title in 17 years. For their legendary fans, the tifosi, this was not acceptable and Schumacher was tasked with the role of turning them successful again.
1996 brought three race wins and a creditable third in the championship. Not bad on the face of it, but the reality showed that they were a long way behind the dominant Williams. Schumacher was driving superbly though, as his wins in Spain and Italy in front of Ferrari fans proved. Ferrari weren’t a huge threat yet, but the paddock knew it was a matter of time.
1997 was far better. The Williams of Jacques Villeneuve battled with Schumacher in a great title fight despite Michael being in an inferior car. Ferrari had their mojo back as they fought at the front of the grid. However, they say that all great champions have a sly streak.
Schumacher, for as great as he was, did things that didn’t make him too popular. In the last race of the season at Jerez, with the title on the line, Schumacher tried to ram Villeneuve off the road. The impact damaged the Ferrari more than the Williams. Schumacher was forced to retire, disgraced.
Williams tailed off in 1998 and was replaced by a revitalised McLaren. Mika Hakkinen sat at the wheel. Cool and fast, he was the driver Schumacher picked as his biggest rival. In 1998 they had a titanic battle. Schumacher thrilled the crowds, Mika was efficient. It came down to the last race in Japan.
Schumacher had the chance to become a Ferrari champion. With the result in his hands, he failed. His stall on the start line cost him the championship. Hakkinen romped home.
After the major disappointments of the previous two years and the broken leg that cut short his 1999 season, it looked like it would never happen for the German and Ferrari. Fate was intervening. At the turn of the century, Ferrari produced another competitive car and Schumacher went to battle with the, now, double-champion Hakkinen.
The championship pendulum swung each race. Schumacher dominated at the beginning but the Finn came roaring back. Their battle at Spa is legendary as Hakkinen drove the race of his life and produced one of the sport's greatest overtakes ever. When it looked like Hakkinen would go to a third straight title Ferrari was falling away.
But the pain of the last four years inspired Schumacher. He took it to another all-or-nothing penultimate race in Japan. Schumacher and Hakkinen sped round at an unbelievable rate, approximately 1.5 seconds a lap faster than their team-mates. This time the outcome was different. Schumacher won the battle, the race and the championship. It was his greatest moment.
Through 2001 to 2004 Schumacher won a combined 39 races and was rarely troubled as he won four back to back championships, eclipsing Fangio’s record. He stood alone as the most successful ever. Formula 1 was a procession in those days, but the admiration of Ferrari’s and Schumacher’s achievements was felt around the world.
But 2005 brought a poor car and a single victory, in the notorious 2005 US Grand Prix where only six cars competed. But a return to form in 2006, at the age of 37, almost merited the eighth title in his supposed final season. Fernando Alonso had fortune on his side as he claimed the championship as Michael slid into a three-year exile.
At age 40 he decided to make a comeback, he just couldn't leave the sport alone. Sadly the special pace was no longer there, competitive he was, but successful he was not. Finally, in 2012 he said his goodbye.
In December 2013, while skiing off-piste in the French Alps, Schumacher fell and hit his head on a rock. He was lucky to survive the impact. He was rushed to the hospital and put into a medically induced coma for six months.
He survived, just. But his fight back will be long. This is the biggest fight of his life and one many wouldn’t be able to win. But Schumacher is no ordinary man. He is determined, relentless, gutsy and a winner.
Keep fighting Michael.
1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14th | 3th | 4th | 1th | 1th | 3th | NC | 2th | 5th | 1th | 1th |
2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |||
1th | 1th | 1th | 3th | 2th | 9th | 8th | 13th |
Year | Team | Engine | GP | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Pod | Pole | Laps | FL | Avg Pts | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 |
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Mercedes | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 923 | 1 | 2.45 | 49 |
2011 |
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Mercedes | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 927 | 0 | 4.00 | 76 |
2010 |
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Mercedes | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 945 | 0 | 3.79 | 72 |
2006 |
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Ferrari | 18 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 1092 | 7 | 6.72 | 121 |
2005 |
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Ferrari | 19 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1007 | 3 | 3.26 | 62 |
2004 |
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Ferrari | 18 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 1089 | 10 | 8.22 | 148 |
2003 |
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Ferrari | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 988 | 5 | 5.81 | 93 |
2002 |
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Ferrari | 17 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 7 | 1090 | 7 | 8.47 | 144 |
2001 |
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Ferrari | 17 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 11 | 1005 | 3 | 7.24 | 123 |
2000 |
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Ferrari | 17 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 921 | 2 | 6.35 | 108 |
1999 |
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Ferrari | 9 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 543 | 5 | 4.89 | 44 |
1998 |
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Ferrari | 16 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 921 | 6 | 5.38 | 86 |
1997 |
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Ferrari | 17 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 874 | 3 | 4.59 | 78 |
1996 |
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Ferrari | 16 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 721 | 2 | 3.69 | 59 |
1995 |
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Renault | 17 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 965 | 8 | 6.00 | 102 |
1994 |
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Ford | 14 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 851 | 8 | 6.57 | 92 |
1993 |
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Ford | 16 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 726 | 5 | 3.25 | 52 |
1992 |
![]() |
Ford | 16 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 887 | 2 | 3.31 | 53 |
1991 |
![]() ![]() |
Ford Ford |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 228 | 0 | 0.67 | 4 |
1th | 91 Times |
2th | 43 Times |
3th | 21 Times |
4th | 15 Times |
5th | 13 Times |
6th | 12 Times |
7th | 13 Times |
8th | 6 Times |
9th | 6 Times |
10th | 6 Times |
11th | 5 Times |
12th | 3 Times |
13th | 2 Times |
15th | 2 Times |
16th | 1 Time |
17th | 1 Time |
22th | 1 Time |
DNF | 63 Times |
DSQ | 2 Times |
NC | 1 Time |
DNS | 1 Time |
Season | Team | Team Mate | Best Pos | Points | Wins | Poles | Position | Qualifying | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | Benetton | Nelson Piquet | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
Jordan | Andrea de Cesaris | 26 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
1992 | Benetton | Martin Brundle | 1 | 2 | 53 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 0 |
1993 | Benetton | Riccardo Patrese | 1 | 2 | 52 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 0 |
1994 | Benetton | Johnny Herbert | 2 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Jos Verstappen | 1 | 3 | 50 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 0 | ||
Jyrki Järvilehto | 1 | 6 | 36 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
1995 | Benetton | Johnny Herbert | 1 | 1 | 102 | 45 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 16 | 1 |
1996 | Ferrari | Eddie Irvine | 1 | 3 | 59 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 15 | 1 |
1997 | Ferrari | Eddie Irvine | 1 | 2 | 78 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 16 | 1 |
1998 | Ferrari | Eddie Irvine | 1 | 2 | 86 | 47 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 15 | 1 |
1999 | Ferrari | Eddie Irvine | 1 | 1 | 44 | 46 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
2000 | Ferrari | Rubens Barrichello | 1 | 1 | 108 | 62 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 15 | 2 |
2001 | Ferrari | Rubens Barrichello | 1 | 2 | 123 | 56 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 16 | 1 |
2002 | Ferrari | Rubens Barrichello | 1 | 1 | 144 | 77 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 4 |
2003 | Ferrari | Rubens Barrichello | 1 | 1 | 93 | 65 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 6 |
2004 | Ferrari | Rubens Barrichello | 1 | 1 | 148 | 114 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 13 | 5 |
2005 | Ferrari | Rubens Barrichello | 1 | 2 | 62 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 7 |
2006 | Ferrari | Felipe Massa | 1 | 1 | 121 | 80 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 5 |
2010 | Mercedes | Nico Rosberg | 4 | 3 | 72 | 142 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 4 | 15 |
2011 | Mercedes | Nico Rosberg | 4 | 5 | 76 | 89 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 16 |
2012 | Mercedes | Nico Rosberg | 3 | 1 | 49 | 93 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 12 |
Jan.19 - Luca Badoer says he "won't say a word" about the current medical condition of his friend Michael Schumacher. As Schumacher's son Mick prepares to make his Formula 1 debut..
Jan.12 - Mercedes is more dominant today than Ferrari was at the height of the Michael Schumacher era. That is the view of FIA president Jean Todt, who presided over Schumacher's..
Last interview of Michael Schumacher before his ski accident in
Dec.23 - Michael Schumacher was a more "complete" racing driver than fellow and new seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton. That is the view of 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg,..
Dec.11 - F1 legend Michael Schumacher is being "treated" so that he can "return to a more normal life". That is the latest word from FIA president Jean Todt, who is now one of..
Dec.8 - Ralf Schumacher has slammed the "constant comparisons" that are made between his brother Michael and the career of the seven time world champion's son Mick. After wrapping..
Nov.25 - Lewis Hamilton is "better than Michael Schumacher", according to the latter seven time world champion's former Ferrari teammate. Rubens Barrichello was commenting on his..
Nov.24 - Lewis Hamilton has hit back at the idea that he is simply "lucky" to have benefitted from Mercedes' utter dominance in past seasons. By matching Michael Schumacher's..
Nov.20 - Felipe Massa hopes it is true that his former Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher is able to follow the likely F1 debut of his son Mick next year. Their former team boss..
Nov.17 - Michael Schumacher is "following" the progress of his son's rise to Formula 1. That is the word from FIA president Jean Todt, who remains a close friend of the Schumacher..
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