Michael Schumacher had the predominant quality of electroplating teams around him, as illustrated in Netflix’s 2021 Schumacher documentary. He was happy and friendly to his team, but a ruthless racing driver and would do anything to get the points. This aggressiveness led to several controversial racing incidents. At the Australian Grand Prix in 1994 and the European Grand Prix in 1997, he found himself in two title-winning collisions.
His younger brother Ralf Schumacher was also a Formula 1 racing driver. Together they won several races and drove for different teams. Ralf was no match for his older brother as he never won a world title – the closest he was to fourth place in the race for the BMW Williams Formula 1 team in 2000 and 2001. Michael Schumacher loved others off the track Hobbies such as horse riding, skydiving, motorcycle racing and playing football. He was a passionate soccer fan, with FC Köln being his favorite soccer club. Schumacher was a UNESCO ambassador and was also involved in other humanitarian projects and donations.
Even if Schumacher has still not made a public appearance since his accident in 2013, his legendary Formula 1 status will remain unforgettable. To find out more about him, here are 10 interesting facts about Michael Schumacher.
10
Early racing career
Via: Michael-Schumacher.De
Schumacher had the stars aligned for himself since childhood in order to become a successful Formula 1 driver. He won his first karting championship at the age of six, an accomplishment he did in a kart made from discarded parts – local businessmen helped fund his engine as his parents could not afford it.
Via: Autobild.de
According to German motorsport rules, an age of 14 years was required to acquire a kart license. Schumacher circumvented this law by obtaining his license in Luxembourg at the age of 12. The following year he won the German Junior Kart Championship. In 1988 he rose to Formula Ford and Formula König, where he won the latter.
9
Was an expert on wet slopes
Via: WTF1
Wet tracks are a nightmare for many Formula 1 drivers. This has resulted in several practice sessions, qualifying and race starts being postponed, as was recently witnessed at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2021, in which Max Verstappen won from the pit lane. However, some riders thrive in such conditions, with Schumacher setting one of the best records in wet conditions.
Via: Formula1.Com
Known for pushing his car to the limit, Schumacher made very few mistakes on wet tracks. By 2003 he had won 17 of the 30 races he had contested under such conditions. This achievement led to the fact that he was nicknamed “Rain King”, which translated means rain king.
8th
A skiing accident took him away from the public
Via: hurriyetdailynews.com
On December 29, 2013, Schumacher was involved in a terrible skiing accident in the French Alpine resort, with a serious head injury despite his helmet on.
Via: Mirror.uk
Schumacher was put into a medically induced coma after several operations. He was later brought home on September 14 for further rehabilitation under the care of his family, where he has remained to this day. Not much is known today about Michael Schumacher’s health, as the entire F1 and his family are silent about it, but his manager Sabine Kehn announced that his situation is still improving.
7th
Helped Ferrari end its 20-year Formula 1 title drought
Via: Formula1.Com
When Schumacher joined Ferrari in 1996, he had the burden of reviving his glory days. After winning two world championships with Benetton, Schumacher admitted he wanted a new challenge, and Ferrari was that challenge. During this time Ferrari fought against leaders like Benetton, Williams and McLaren.
Via: Michael-Schumacher.De
Ferrari’s V12 engine was no longer competitive when other teams adapted to the smaller, more fuel-efficient V10s. Various drivers tainted the Ferrari car, calling it a “truck”, “pig”, “terrible car”, “undrivable”, “piece of junk” and many more. In 2000, Schumacher managed to turn the battered team into a title car when he won the first world championship in a Ferrari. This transformation is Schumacher’s most outstanding achievement to date.
6th
A great admirer of Ayrton Senna
via car magazine
Formula 1 and the motorsport world have seen terrible accidents over the years. Ayton Senna was involved in a terrible accident in which his car hit the wall at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix while he was in pole position. He was flown to the hospital, where he later died.
dance away
When the accident happened, Michael Schumacher was right behind Senna in second place. After the race resumed, Schumacher went ahead in a gloomy atmosphere to win the race. Schumacher won the championship title in 1994 and dedicated it to Senna. Ayrton Senna is the greatest Formula 1 driver according to Schumacher. Team manager Flavio Briatore announced that Schumacher wanted to leave Formula 1 after Ayrton Senna’s death.
5
Owned a lucky charm
via newsbytes
The seven-time world champion owes his success to a ceramic amulet that his wife Corinna Schumacher gave him in 1995. Schumacher wore this bracelet throughout his racing career. This lucky charm with African pearls was labeled with Schumacher’s family members.
about Scuderia Ferrari fans
After his skiing accident, Schumacher was taken to hospital with a missing bracelet. Mountain rescuers volunteered and went looking and found it buried in the snow. Schumacher’s wife has now put this bracelet on his bed and is hoping for Schumacher’s full recovery.
4th
Involved in the design of the Ferrari Enzo
about amalgam collection
Michael Schumacher had a charismatic personality, so every team member at Ferrari loved to be around him. He was always left behind trying to improve on the underperforming Ferrari car after the race. His endeavors went beyond racing when he helped the Italian automaker design the Ferrari Enzo.
Via: James Edition
But unlike other Formula 1 athletes, Schumacher was not a fan of flashy sports cars. His daily drive was Fiat 500 Abarth before experiencing the tragic skiing accident. Schumacher owned a Ferrari FXX and an Enzo, which have since been auctioned.
3
Michael Schumacher’s biggest F1 records
Via: Michael-Schumacher.De
Schumacher was arguably the most successful driver before Lewis Hamilton broke most of his records in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Those records seemed sacrosanct a decade ago. When he retired in 2006, Schumacher held records for most drivers’ world championship titles, most wins, podiums, pole positions and fastest laps.
Via: Michael-Schumacher.De
Today Hamilton broke all these records, apart from the fastest laps and world titles. There are divided opinions among Formula 1 fans about who is the best driver between the two. Nonetheless, Schumacher would have been proud that Hamilton had achieved his know-how on the track.
2
Withdrawn from Formula 1 in 2006, but made a brief comeback in 2010
Via: Michael-Schumacher.De
In 2006 Michael Schumacher announced his first retirement from Formula 1. Four years later he made headlines when he announced his comeback in the premier class of motorsport with the Mercedes team in 2010. He would compete alongside his German compatriot Nico Rosberg.
Via: Michael-Schumacher.De
For a driver who achieved almost everything in his first stint, it was unclear why he was returning to Formula One. In his own words, the prospect of replacing the injured Massa and his reunion with team principal Ross Brawn sparked renewed interest in Formula 1. His comeback was unsuccessful, and he retired for the second time in 2012, and it’s Lewis Hamilton, who replaced him.
1
Schumacher’s F1 legacy lives on with his son
Via: Formula1.Com
Formula 1 has seen many father-son duels over the years. Mick Schumacher, the son of the legendary Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher, had a passion for racing from an early age and was inspired by his father. However, Michael Schumacher wanted his son never to race because of the dangers associated with high-speed competitions.
Via: Formula1.Com
In order to avoid a lot of excitement, Mick Schumacher used the pseudonym “Mick Betsch” at the beginning of his racing career. Mick Schumacher will drive for the Haas Formula 1 team for the 2021 season and has already been confirmed for the next season. He is also still a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy – a team in which his father won five consecutive world championships. In the future, Mick hopes to keep his father’s legacy alive and well.
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About the author
Dennis Kariuki
(42 published articles)
Dennis Kariuki is a tech enthusiast who writes for Hotcars.com. He previously wrote for the.car. He likes to report on the connection between technology and cars. He’s also a big F1 fan. After working tirelessly through the week, you can be sure that on Sundays he is most likely enjoying and following the motorsport events.
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