Michael Schumacher information & statistics

Biography

Michael Schumacher Biography

Michael Schumacher

For the moment let’s forget about the three seasons at Mercedes and focus purely on the 15 he raced in his ‘first career’. If you do that than many will come to the conclusion that Michael Schumacher is the greatest Formula 1 driver 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, 68 pole positions and over 1500 points. No superlatives could give those stats justice.

The name Schumacher first arrived in the sport back in 1991 as he 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.

Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher racing each other.

Despite being extremely fortunate to land the drive he impressed around the magical Spa circuit and qualified 7th 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.

Michael Schumacher, Benneton B195. German Grand Prix 1995

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. Michael 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.

Michael Schumacher Ferrari 412T 1st test (1995)

1997 was far better. The Williams of 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.

Schumacher on the podium in Japan (2001)

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 great 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 47 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 an 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.

Michael Schumacher Mercedes W03 at Monaco

At aged 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 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 Michael Schumacher is no ordinary man. He is determined, relentless, gutsy and a winner.

Keep fighting Michael.

Helmets

Michael Schumacher Helmets

Championships

Michael Schumacher F1 Championship Season Results

Michael Schumacher F1 Championship Summary

Year	Team	Engine	Races	1st	2nd	3rd	Podiums	Poles	Laps	Fastest	Avg Pts	Points
2012	Mercedes	Mercedes	20	0	0	1	1	0	923	1	2.45	49
2011	Mercedes	Mercedes	19	0	0	0	0	0	927	0	4.00	76
2010	Mercedes	Mercedes	19	0	0	0	0	0	945	0	3.79	72
2006	Ferrari	Ferrari	18	7	4	1	12	4	1092	7	6.72	121
2005	Ferrari	Ferrari	19	1	3	1	5	1	1007	3	3.26	62
2004	Ferrari	Ferrari	18	13	2	0	15	8	1089	10	8.22	148
2003	Ferrari	Ferrari	16	6	0	2	8	5	988	5	5.81	93
2002	Ferrari	Ferrari	17	11	5	1	17	7	1090	7	8.47	144
2001	Ferrari	Ferrari	17	9	5	0	14	11	1005	3	7.24	123
2000	Ferrari	Ferrari	17	9	2	1	12	9	921	2	6.35	108
1999	Ferrari	Ferrari	10	2	3	1	6	3	543	5	4.40	44
1998	Ferrari	Ferrari	16	6	2	3	11	3	921	6	5.38	86
1997	Ferrari	Ferrari	17	5	3	0	8	3	874	3	4.59	78
1996	Ferrari	Ferrari	16	3	3	2	8	4	721	2	3.69	59
1995	Benetton	Renault	17	9	1	1	11	4	965	8	6.00	102
1994	Benetton	Ford	14	8	2	0	10	6	851	8	6.57	92
1993	Benetton	Ford	16	1	5	3	9	0	726	5	3.25	52
1992	Benetton	Ford	16	1	3	4	8	0	887	2	3.31	53
1991	Benetton Jordan	Ford Ford	6	0	0	0	0	0	228	0	0.67	4

Races

Michael Schumacher F1 GP Race Classifications

Michael Schumacher F1 GP Race Results

Podiums

Michael Schumacher F1 Podium Finishes

Poles

Michael Schumacher F1 Pole Positions