Michael Schumacher

Biography of Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher Profile

Michael Schumacher is regarded by a generation of F1 fans to be the greatest of all time with his 91 race victories, 155 podiums and 68 pole positions only recently bettered by Lewis Hamilton.

Although Schumacher is remembered for his success, he will forever be associated with controversy with the German's never-give-up attitude landing him in hot water on more than one occasion.

Notable incidents include the 1994 Australian Grand Prix title-deciding collision with Damon Hill, his collision and subsequent disqualification from the championship with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 and the decision to park his Ferrari on a Rascasse during qualifying for the 2006 Monaco GP after setting the fastest time.

Schumacher made his debut with Jordan at the 1991 Belgian GP and despite a mechanical issue preventing him from completing a racing lap, his seventh-place qualifying result was enough to catch the attention of Benetton, despite Jordan believing it had a deal with the German for the remainder of the season.

At Benetton, bonds for future success were born with Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne, two men that would follow him to Ferrari as the youngest double world champion in 1996.

Although the '96 Ferrari F310 was far from the strongest car ever produced by the Scuderia and Schumacher endured a difficult year, the soaking wet Spanish GP saw the German register perhaps his greatest career victory as he mastered the treacherous conditions and earned the nickname 'The Regenmeister' - The Rainmaster.

After Mika Hakkinen enjoyed championship success with McLaren in 1998-99, it was finally Schumacher's turn to return to the top at the turn of the millennium after he and the Finn went toe to toe across the year in a race to become a three-time champion.

What followed was the most dominant period of success witnessed in F1 to that point, with Schumacher adding consecutive titles in 2001, '02, '03 and '04.

Schumacher was knocked off the top of the standings by Fernando Alonso in 2005 and, whilst battling the Spaniard in 2006, the German announced the campaign would be his last in F1.

His retirement would not last long, however, as he rejoined the paddock with the newly created Mercedes team alongside Nico Rosberg in 2010.

The comeback would yield just one podium, scored at the European Grand Prix in Valencia in 2012, before he again stepped away from F1 at end of that season.

Almost a year later, on December 29, 2013, Schumacher suffered an accident whilst skiing that left the seven-time champion in a medically induced coma. Updates on his condition have been few and far between since, although he is known to reside in his home in Switzerland.