Michael Schumacher described as 'ruthless' by former F1 title rival

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Schumacher described as 'ruthless' by former F1 title rival

David Coulthard discusses Michael Schumacher

Anna Malyon

Saturday 16 December 2023 19:57 Updated: 20:08

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David Coulthard has said Michael Schumacher was 'cold' and 'ruthless' during their time spent battling it out on-track.

Schumacher shares the record of seven-time world champions with Lewis Hamilton, and the German driver set numerous records during his time in F1.

However, during this period, he also made several rivals, including former world champion Coulthard, as the two fiercely competed for the 2001 drivers' championship.

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Before the 2001 season, Coulthard come face-to-face Schumacher's intensity during the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, where rainy conditions led to a collision between the two. An angry Schumacher stormed into Coulthard's garage after the incident, a moment captured in a famous clip.

Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard famously clashed at Spa in 1998

David Coulthard described Michael Schumacher as 'cold' and 'ruthless'

Schumacher had what it took

Their rivalry provided Coulthard the opportunity to describe Schumacher as 'ruthless" and 'cold' in a new five-part documentary titled 'Being Michael Schumacher'.

“My understanding of where the limit was maybe more in line with the rest of the drivers,” Coulthard told The Independent.

“He [Michael] could be very ruthless, he could be cold, he could be distant. I think that’s probably what, at that level, you need to have to be that successful.”

Coulthard also revealed that Schumacher believed the collision between them at the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix was a conspiracy.

In 1998, Schumacher was contending with Coulthard's McLaren teammate Mika Hakkinen for the title, with the Finnish driver ultimately securing the championship.

David Coulthard says Schumacher believed he was part of an F1 conspiracy

Schumacher the great

“Michael thought this was part of a conspiracy to try and help my team-mate Mika,” Coulthard added. “It was simply an accident. It was just one of those things.”

However, the British driver also acknowledged that Schumacher was the most successful man in F1.

“I have no problem acknowledging that the period I raced was against the man that has rewritten the history books. That is the most successful in the history of our sport.”