Michael Schumacher Wins First Title With Ferrari (video)

I posted a Michael Schumacher video yesterday so I might as well post another one today. Even though he beat Mika Häkkinen who was my favorite it was still a great moment in Formula One history.

Get well Michael. The F1 world needs you!

Schumacher Storms To First Win For Ferrari | 1996 Spanish Grand Prix

It's been over 2 years since Michael Schumacher slipped into a coma and hasn't been the same since. At least he has got home from the hospital which is nice. Let's hope he will get better and that he doesn't end up like Jules Bianchi.

Here is something more positive. Michael's first win with Ferrari. Have a look!

2015 Italian Grand Prix preview

A picture from the old part of the track (the loop).

Are you ready for the Italian grand prix and the Monza track? This is one of the most legendary tracks in F1 history and it is also Ferrari's home grand prix.

Several Formula One legends have died on this track. The list is long so I shall mention just a few.

• In 1955 the Ferrari legend and two time world champion Alberto Ascari died here during a test session. 
• Wolfgang von Trips and 14 spectators were killed after he collided with Jim Clark in 1961. 
• Jochen Rindt was crowned as the Formula One world champion at the end of the 1970 season. Unfortunately he had passed away before that at Monza. The points were enough to make him the champion.
• The best Swedish F1 driver ever lived was Ronnie Peterson. He died in a hospital after a serious crash at the start of the 1978 Italian grand prix.

The Monza track has changed several times over the years. At first it looked like this:

This was in 1922-1933 before the F1 series even existed. The track was 10 kilometers with 4.5 kilometers in the loop and then 5.5 kilometers on the road track.

Later in 1935-1937 the track was changed and looked like this:

In 1950 the Formula One series started and Monza was the last race on the calendar. The race was won by Nino Farina even though Juan Manuel Fangio had been faster all weekend. Fangio got pole position and set the fastest lap of the race. Unfortunately he retired due to a gear box failure and Farina won the race and the first championship. The track was again different and it looked like this:

In 1955 it looked again like it did in the beginning (with the road- and loop-part). After 1969 the oval part was not used anymore and the track looked about the same it looks today.

The fastest lap on the combined track (in a race) was set in 1960 by the American F1 world champion Phill Hill. The record was 2.41.400 and the time was set with a Ferrari.

The fastest lap on the modern track (in a race) was set by Rubens Barrichello in 2004 and also with a Ferrari. The current record is 1.21.046 and the reason why it is so much faster is that "the loop" is no longer in use.

If we talk about wins then Michael Schumacher is the king of this track. He has won this race 5 times. From the current drivers the king would be Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso because they both have 2 wins from Monza.

Sebastian Vettel took his maiden victory in Monza back in 2008 with Toro Rosso. That was strange if you ask me! To win a race with the former Minardi now known as Toro Rosso. Everybody were sure that Heikki Kovalainen would win the race but he couldn't get pass Vettel and stayed 2nd.

This year I think that if we see any surprises it will come from Valtteri Bottas. Daniel Ricciardo even predicted that Bottas will win here his first victory. I also believe that Vettel will do very well here. This track is very special for him.

And now it's time for my predictions and here they are:

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Race:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
3. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Surprise: Valtteri Bottas, Williams

Post your own predictions to our F1-4-LIFE PREDICTORS LEAGUE!

The rules:

POINTS:  1st - 3  2nd - 5  3rd - 10 

HOW IT WORKS: the aim of the game is simply predict who comes where in the race (top3). A total of 18 points can be won on a race day. If you get winner and and 3rd place right but 2nd wrong you get 13 points same if you get 1 correct. eg. 2nd you get 5 points. If a driver wins the race and you said he would come 2nd or 3rd no points would be awarded. Same if he came in another position, and you predicted that wrong. A table will be posted up every race weekend. The point scoring system will change once the cars become more competitive. Everyone will say a merc 1,2 so it won't be close or fun. 

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PREDICTIONS: send an email to f14lifeblog@gmail.com or message the Facebook page to submit your predictions. You have until lights out to make them. If you submit them when the race has started they won't count. So be quick! like the Mercedes. 

THE PRIZE: the winner of the league will win themselves a admin place on the F1 4 LIFE page along side JT, AE, MW & MH. If you don't want to be an admin you are welcome to participate anyway. We may also come up with some other prize if it helps. 

That's it for today and if you want to send me feedback then email me: f14lifeblog@gmail.com

2006 European GP (FULL RACE)

The 2006 European Grand Prix (round 5) full race! There is so little going on in F1 right now so I am forced to post a lot of races etc. so that you will survive the off-season time we have left. Enjoy!

F1 presents for Christmas

Yesterday I promised to show you guys some pictures if I got anything F1 related for Christmas. So here goes...

A Ferrari fleece quilt, blanket or what ever you wanna call it.

Michael Schumacher's biography. The book is from 2014 so there's everything about the accident as well.

That was all for me but look at this picture! My son got another F1 toy:

If you got something Formula One related then please share it on the Facebook page for everyone else to see! If you only want me to see then send the pics to my email f14lifeblog@gmail.com

Schumacher's rehabilitation to continue from home

Former world champion Michael Schumacher is to be allowed home as he continues his recovery from the serious head injuries he sustained in a skiing accident last December. Schumacher has spent the last three months under specialist care in a Swiss hospital. 

“Henceforth, Michael's rehabilitation will take place at his home,” confirmed a statement released by his management on Tuesday. “Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months. There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead.”

Schumacher was initially placed in an induced coma after falling and hitting his head on a rock during a family ski trip. After six months in Grenoble’s University Hospital in France, the German star was transferred to Lausanne’s University Hospital in June.

“We would like extend our gratitude to the entire team at CHUV Lausanne for their thorough and competent work,” continued Tuesday’s statement, adding: “We ask that the privacy of Michael's family continue to be respected, and that speculations about his state of health are avoided.”

With seven drivers’ titles, 91 Grand Prix victories and 68 pole positions, Schumacher remains the most successful driver in Formula One history. He retired at the end of the 2012 season.

(source: f1.com)

Michael Schumacher Documentary

Michael Schumacher full documentary from 2013 SkySport F1 HD. This is a must see!

Vital Statistics - the Austrian Grand Prix

Did you know that Kimi Raikkonen is the only driver in the current field to have stood on the podium in Austria before, having done so in the last running of the race in 2003? Ahead of this weekend's Formula 1 Grosser Preis von Osterreich 2014 we present all the need-to-know facts, stats and trivia...

Circuit: Red Bull Ring, Spielberg

Circuit length: 4.326 km

Number of corners: 9 (2 left, 7 right)

DRS zones: 2

Race laps: 71

Race distance: 307.020 km

2014 tyre compounds: Soft, supersoft

Circuit lap record: 1m 08.337 - Michael Schumacher (2003), Ferrari

First world championship Grand Prix in Austria: 1964, Zeltweg (won by Lorenzo Bandini, Ferrari)

First world championship Grand Prix in Spielberg: 1970 (won by Jacky Ickx, Ferrari)

Number of races: 26 (18 - Osterreichring; 7 - A1-Ring; 1 - Zeltweg)

Number of races with at least one safety car appearance: Four of the last four races

Longest race in Spielberg: 1970 (1h 42m 17.32s)

Shortest race in Spielberg: 1975 (57m 56.69s)

2003 pole position: 1m 09.150s, Michael Schumacher, Ferrari

2003 podium: 1 - Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), 2 - Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren), 3 - Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)

Most appearances (current field): 4 - Jenson Button; 3 - Kimi Raikkonen; 2 - Fernando Alonso; 1 - Felipe Massa

Most wins (driver): 3 - Alain Prost; 2 - Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, Alan Jones, Ronnie Peterson; 1 - David Coulthard, Eddie Irvine, Jacques Villeneuve, Nigel Mansell, Niki Lauda, Elio de Angelis, Jacques Laffite, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, John Watson, Vittorio Brambilla, Carlos Reutemann, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jo Siffert, Jacky Ickx, Lorenzo Bandini

Most wins (constructor): 6 - McLaren; 5 - Ferrari; 4 - Lotus; 3 - Williams; 2 - Renault; 1 - Ligier, Shadow, Penske, March, Brabham, BRM

Most wins (engine manufacturer): 9 - Ford/Cosworth; 5 - Ferrari; 3 - Renault, TAG, Mercedes; 1 - BRM, Matra, Honda

Most pole positions (driver): 3 - Niki Lauda, Rene Arnoux, Nelson Piquet; 2- Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Hakkinen, Michael Schumacher; 1 - Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Jo Siffert, James Hunt, Ronnie Peterson, Patrick Tambay, Alain Prost, Teo Fabi, Jacques Villeneuve, Giancarlo Fisichella, Rubens Barrichello 

Most pole positions (constructor): 7 - Ferrari; 4 - Lotus, McLaren; 3 - Renault; 2 - BRM, Brabham, Williams, Benetton

Most pole positions (engine manufacturer): 7 - Ferrari; 5 - Ford/Cosworth; 4 - Renault; 3 - BMW; 2 - BRM, Mercedes; 1 - TAG/Porsche, Honda, Playlife

Number of wins from pole in Spielberg: Seven from 25 races (two from last five)

Lowest winning grid position in Spielberg: 14th (Alan Jones, Shadow, 1977)

Laps led (current field): 7 - Kimi Raikkonen

Most podium places (current field): 1 - Kimi Raikkonen

Number of Austrians to have started at least one Grand Prix: 14

Number of victories for Austrian drivers in the Austrian Grand Prix: One (Niki Lauda, 1984)

Fascinating facts: The track is situated at an altitude of 660m above sea level. In terms of lap distance Spielberg is the third-shortest of the year after Monaco and Brazil, but in terms of lap time, it's the shortest. The Styria region in which Spielberg is located is the greenest in Austria, with around 60 percent of the land covered by forest.

Percentage of 2014 season complete: 37 percent

Maximum number of world championship points still available to a single driver: 325

Significant running sequences going into this weekend: Ferrari - 74 consecutive races in the points; Nico Rosberg - 16 consecutive races in the points and seven consecutive podium finishes; Fernando Alonso - 10 consecutive points finishes; Nico Hulkenberg - 9 consecutive points finishes; Mercedes - seven consecutive pole positions

Kimi's milestone: Kimi Raikkonen will make his 200th Grand Prix start in Austria. Only 13 drivers have started more in F1 history. Rubens Barrichello holds the record with 322

Turbo history: If a Ferrari-powered car wins the race it'll be the first Ferrari turbo win since the 1988 Italian Grand Prix

(source: f1.com)

Schumacher out of coma, leaves hospital

Michael Schumacher, who suffered serious head injuries in a skiing accident last December, is no longer in a coma, according to his management.

Furthermore, the seven-time world champion has now left Grenoble’s University Hospital in France to ‘continue his long phase of rehabilitation’.

“His family would like to explicitly thank all his treating doctors, nurses and therapists in Grenoble as well as the first aiders at the place of the accident, who did an excellent job in those first months,” read a statement.

“The family also wishes to thank all the people who have sent Michael all the many good wishes to Michael. We are sure it helped him.”

Schumacher, 45, was placed in an induced coma after falling and hitting his head on a rock during a family ski trip. The German’s medical team began reducing his sedation at the end of January.

“For the future we ask for understanding that his further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye,” concluded Monday’s statement.

With seven drivers’ titles, 91 Grand Prix victories and 68 pole positions, Schumacher remains the most successful driver in Formula One history. He retired at the end of the 2012 season.

(source: f1.com)

The 1991 Grand Prix of Belgium

The quality is a bit bad but the video is pretty cool. This is Michael Schumacher's first race ever in Formula One.

The race is narrated by Murray Walker and James Hunt.

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix preview

SEPANG, Malaysia - The official F1 page has predicted rain for the weekend.

We have seen the first race of the season and now it's time for the second GP-preview!

Sepang has become a very legendary track over the years.

Remember when Mika Häkkinen chased the Ferraris of Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher in the first race back in 1999? The Ferraris were dominating the race and Häkkinen was just barely behind them. After the race Häkkinen sat down on the podium because he was about to pass out. He said that it felt impossible to win them.

Later they found out that Ferrari was using illegal wings on the cars. The FIA said that they can't use them anymore but didn't give Ferrari a penalty. Maybe because that would have decided the championship as well? Häkkinen would have won Irvine in the championship with over 10 points before the last race.

In 2003 Renault showed their claws for the first time since the 80's by taking 1st and 2nd in the qualifying (Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli). It was also Alonso's first pole position.
Unfortunately for Alonso's sake he didn't finish first in the race. He took the third place which was his first ever podium in F1.

The hero of the very wet Malaysian Grand Prix in 2003 was in fact not Alonso but Kimi Räikkönen. He took his first ever victory and smiled more than he did when he won the championship in 2007.




I would also like to mention the shortest Malaysian Grand Prix in history: The 2009 Malaysian GP that lasted for 55 minutes. It was stopped with red flags because of the weather and it never continued. Jenson Button won that race with Brawn GP (now Mercedes GP).




Then I must mention the race from last year. WHAT? YOU FORGOT ALREADY? Let me give you a hint......


MULTI -21



Mark Webber decided to leave Red Bull and Formula One because of this race and Sebastian Vettel got even more haters than he already had. He ignored the team orders and put himself above the team.


So who has been most successful in Malaysia of the current drivers?

Podiums:

1. Fernando Alonso - 5 (1st x 3, 2nd x 1, 3rd x 1)
2. Jenson Button - 4 (1st x 1, 2nd x 1, 3rd x 2)
3. Sebastian Vettel - 3 (1st x 3)
4. Kimi Räikkönen - 3 (1st x 2, 3rd x 1)
5. Lewis Hamilton - 3 (2nd x 1, 3rd x 2)
6. Sergio Perez - 1 (2nd x 1)
7. Nico Rosberg - 1 (2nd x 1)

Let's also keep in mind that Button has been in F1 since the year 2000, Alonso and Räikkönen since 2001 (Alonso didn't compete in 2002 and Kimi didn't compete in 2010-2011), Rosberg since 2006, Hamilton and Vettel since 2007 and Perez since 2011.

The official Formula One page has stated that it will rain in Malaysia so that might get a bit confusing again when I have to guess the results! I'll give it a try.

Pole Position: Kevin Magnussen

The race:

1. Jenson Button
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Valtteri Bottas

Fastest lap: Nico Rosberg

Surprise: Ferrari - They will be much better this weekend!

That was it for today. I'll see you guys around on the Facebook page ;) One more thing.....

Bahrain to name first corner after Schumacher

The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) has announced that it is to name the first corner of the track after Michael Schumacher, following consultation with the seven-time world champion’s family. 

Schumacher, who won the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004 and helped with the design of the circuit, including turn one, remains in hospital following his skiing accident at the end of last year.

“With the support of his family, it is a great privilege to be able to honour arguably the greatest racing driver in the history of F1 and someone who the people of Bahrain hold close to their hearts,” said Zayed Al Zayani, BIC Chairman.

“From his first appearance at the BIC in 2004, he immediately became an inspiration for all those who love motorsport in the Kingdom and it is therefore natural for us to recognise him in this way. The team at the BIC continues to offer Michael and his family its best wishes.”

Schumacher’s manager, Sabine Kehm, added: “Michael's family would like to thank the Bahrain International Circuit for this gesture, acknowledging Michael's achievements in Formula One and interest in the BIC circuit design. We take it as a recognition for his passion for motorsport. I am convinced Michael will love the idea and feel very honoured about having a BIC corner named after him.”

The BIC is honouring Schumacher as part of its 10th anniversary, which will also be the venue’s first Formula One night race, the 2014 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix on April 04-06. 

(source: f1.com)

The best/worst of 2013

I sat down at my computer and in a second I came up with an idea. THE BEST/WORST OF 2013!

So what was best/worst for me? (and of course I am talking about Formula One).
I'll make a list of the best and worst things and you may comment on them if you like.

Remember that these are just my personal opinions so don't take them too seriously if they are different from yours.

The best team was obviously Red Bull. I mean they were unbeatable! But if we think about the time before Pirelli changed the tyres because of Red Bull's demands then the team wouldn't be the same. The best team before the tyres changed was probably Mercedes. They were excellent in qualifying and even won 3 races (Rosberg 2 and Hamilton 1).

The worst team was probably Caterham. They were always better than Marussia but after Kovalainen and Petrov left it all changed. Was it because of the drivers or something else? Or was Bianchi just that good with his Marussia that it made Caterham look bad? It was like Caterham was driving in 2013 with the 2012 car. Everybody else had gotten better but they were the same.

Best rookie was Jules Bianchi or Valtteri Bottas. No doubt about it! They were both phenomenal but if I would have to choose one of them I would say Bottas. He was clearly better than his more experienced teammate Pastor Maldonado and even got a P3 in qualifying. Maybe if Bianchi would have had a more experienced teammate it would have been easier to compare his skills. It didn't look very hard to be better than Max Chilton.

Worst rookie was probably Esteban Gutierrez. I made this decision because Nico Hülkenberg mopped the floor with him and got 8 times more points than he got. Not 8 points but 8 TIMES MORE! Jules Bianchi was also much better than Max Chilton but it wasn't as clear.

Biggest surprise was when Kimi Räikkönen won the first race in Australia starting the race from 7th place. He said that it was the easiest victory of his career. Some papers and magazines even wrote that this will be the season of Lotus. Yeah right.. When Kimi won the first race in 2007 some said that Kimi would win all the races but it was far from the truth. He had to fight with Alonso and Hamilton until the end.

Biggest disappointment was probably Heikki Kovalainen's race pace. He was very fast in the practice sessions but then in the race drivers were overtaking him easily. Some might say that the car had problems but even Kimi got podiums with a broken car. It reminded me of Luca Badoer driving for Ferrari in 2009. He had been a test driver for too long so they signed Giancarlo Fisichella to drive for them instead. He was also a disappointment but much better than Badoer.

Most boring race was probably... I can't think of anything else than the fact that Sebastian Vettel won so many races. I guess one of the races he won was the most boring. Can't tell you which one though.

The best feeling in 2013 was probably when Kimi signed with Ferrari and Ricciardo with Red Bull. That's gonna be interesting! Alonso vs. Räikkönen and Vettel vs. Ricciardo!

The worst feeling was when Michael Schumacher had his accident. I hope that he'll get well soon. It can't be over for him yet! The F1 world needs him. Right? He is such a big part of this sport!

GET WELL SOON!

Details of Schumacher crash investigation revealed

Investigators in France have revealed details about the skiing accident suffered by seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher at the Alpine resort of Meribel in December.

It was confirmed that Schumacher, who is currently in a critical but stable condition in hospital in Grenoble having sustained severe head injuries, was wearing a helmet-mounted video camera at the time of his accident, the footage from which has formed a key part of the investigation. 

“The film is perfectly clear and gives us a lot of information,” said Patrick Quincy, the French prosecutor leading the investigation. “It confirms all the information that we already had. We used this film to do a reconstruction of the accident.”

Schumacher, whom investigators described as "an extremely good skier", was found to have been eight metres off piste and travelling at the speed one would expect of "a very good skier" when he struck a rock. He then fell forward and hit his head on another rock. 

The investigators, who will continue to study the footage from Schumacher’s helmet with experts, appeared to rule out the speed at which the 45-year-old was travelling, the signage at the resort, or the German's skis as being key contributors in the accident. 

(f1.com)

2000 British GP (FULL RACE)

4th race of the 2000 season.

2000 San Marino GP (FULL RACE)

2000 Brazilian GP (FULL)

No significant change in Schumacher's condition

Michael Schumacher remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital in Grenoble following his skiing accident in France, his manager reported on Wednesday. 

"Michael's condition has been carefully supervised all night and has remained stable this morning," said Sabine Kehm.

"For the moment, the good news for today is that we will not hold a press conference because there are no significant changes. Still, the condition overall is critical."

On Tuesday, doctors reported that Schumacher had undergone a second operation to ease the pressure on his brain following injuries including lesions and contusions in Sunday's fall. The procedure involved removing a large hematoma (a build-up of blood) from the left-hand side of Schumacher's brain, easing the pressure within his skull.



The 44-year-old German hit his head after falling during a family skiing trip at the Meribel resort. He was quickly taken by helicopter to hospital in Moutiers before being moved to Grenoble, where doctors said he had suffered "a severe head injury with coma on arrival, which required neurosurgical intervention immediately."



Schumacher, an accomplished skier as well as the most successful F1 driver in history, was wearing a helmet when he suffered the accident, without which doctors said he almost certainly "wouldn't be here now".



As tributes poured in from fans, friends and fellow drivers, Schumacher’s family stated: “Following Michael's sking accident, we would like to thank the people from all around the world who have expressed their sympathy and sent their best wishes for his recovery. They are giving us great support. We all know he is a fighter and will not give up.”

(source: f1.com)

Michael Schumacher's condition improves after second operation

Michael Schumacher's condition has shown a slight improvement, but the seven times Formula 1 world champion remains in an induced coma in a critical condition.

Schumacher underwent a second operation overnight to remove another haematoma, which has helped to reduce the inter-cranial pressure he sustained in a skiing accident on Sunday.

The second procedure took place at 10pm on Monday night after examinations revealed an unexpected improvement in the 44-year-old's condition.

This allowed the medical team in the Grenoble hospital to access a large haematoma on the left side of his brain.

Dr Emmanual Gay said: "There was one haematoma that was larger and more accessible, so we were able to get rid of it without any risk.

"Thanks to that we were better able to control inter-cranial pressure. There's still a lot of haemorrhaging."

The medical team said that there remained a number of lesions on Schumacher's brain and that it is still impossible to make any prognosis about his future recovery.

They confirmed that Schumacher will remain in a coma for as long as is necessary, but that he is in a more stable condition than had been the case during the previous 24 hours.

"We have a strategy to correct a number of anomalies that continue and we want to give ourself some time during this phase of stability," said Professor Jean-Francois Payen.

"There are some important matters we need to think about for the future."

Schumacher's family were consulted before the second operation and remain by his bedside.

(source: autosport.com)

Schumacher in critical condition after skiing accident

Seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher is in a critical condition in hospital following a skiing accident in the French Alps.

Schumacher, who retired from F1 racing at the end of the 2012 season, is understood to have hit his head after falling during a family skiing trip at the Meribel resort on Sunday morning. The 44-year-old was quickly taken by helicopter to hospital in Moutiers before being moved to Grenoble.

A statement issued by the University Hospital in Grenoble, where Schumacher is being treated, said he had suffered "a severe head injury with coma on arrival, which required neurosurgical intervention immediately."

It had earlier been confirmed that Schumacher, an accomplished skier as well as the most successful F1 driver in history, was wearing a helmet when he suffered the accident.

An official update on his condition is expected on Monday.

Schumacher's history:

Since the Formula One World Drivers' Championship began in 1950 the title has been won by 32 different drivers, 15 of whom won more than one championship. Of the multiple champions the most prolific was Juan Manuel Fangio, whose record of five titles stood for five decades until it was eclipsed by the most successful driver in the sport's history. Seven times a champion, Michael Schumacher also holds nearly every scoring record in the book by a considerable margin. Though his ethics were sometimes questioned, as was his decision to make a comeback after retiring, his sheer dominance when in his prime is beyond doubt...

The most extraordinary driver's origins were most ordinary. He was born on 3 January, 1969, near Cologne, Germany, six years before his brother Ralf, who would also become a Formula One driver of note. Their father, a bricklayer, ran the local kart track, at Kerpen, where Mrs Schumacher operated the canteen. As a four-year old Michael enjoyed playing on a pedal kart, though when his father fitted it with a small motorcycle engine the future superstar promptly crashed into a lamppost. But Michael quickly mastered his machine and won his first kart championship at six, following which his far from affluent parents arranged sponsorship from wealthy enthusiasts that enabled Michael to make rapid progress. By 1987 he was German and European kart champion and had left school to work as an apprentice car mechanic, a job that was soon replaced by full-time employment as a race driver. In 1990 he won the German F3 championship and was hired by Mercedes to drive sportscars. The next year he made a stunning Formula One debut, qualifying an astonishing seventh in a Jordan for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, whereupon he was immediately snapped up by Benetton, with whom in 1992 he won his first F1 race, again at Spa, among the most demanding circuits of them all.

Over the next four seasons with Benetton he won a further 18 races and two world championships. His first, in 1994, was somewhat tainted in that Benetton was suspected of technical irregularities and in their championship showdown race in Adelaide Schumacher collided (deliberately, some thought) with the car of his closest challenger, the Williams of Damon Hill. But Germany's first world champion was unquestionably worthy of the 1995 driving title, following which he moved to Ferrari, then a team in disarray and without a champion since Jody Scheckter in 1979. The Schumacher-Ferrari combination began promisingly with three wins in 1996 and five more in 1997, though that season ended in humiliation when in the final race, at Jerez in Spain, Schumacher tried unsuccessfully to ram the Williams of his title rival Jacques Villeneuve off the road. As punishment for his misdemeanour Schumacher's points and his second place in the championship were stricken from the record books he would thereafter begin to rewrite.

After finishing second overall in 1998, Schumacher's 1999 season was interrupted by a broken leg (the only injury in his career) incurred in a crash at the British Grand Prix. From then on there was no stopping 'Schumi' - who in 2000 became Ferrari's first champion in 21 years, then went on to win the driving title for the next four years in succession. In 2002 he won 11 times and finished on the podium in all 17 races. In 2003 he broke Fangio's record by winning his sixth driving title. In 2004 he won 13 of the 18 races to win his seventh championship by a by a massive margin.

Like all the great drivers Schumacher had exceptional ambition, confidence, intelligence, motivation, dedication and determination. What set him apart and helped account for his unprecedented length of time at the top was a pure passion for racing and an endless quest for improvement.

Blessed with a supreme natural talent honed to the highest degree, he had a racing brain to match and spare mental capacity that enabled him to make split-second decisions, adapt to changing circumstances and plan ahead while driving on the limit, which with his superb state of fitness (he trained harder than any driver) he could do consistently for lengthy periods of time. The smoothly swift and mechanically-aware driver operated with a keen sensitivity for the limits of his car and himself (he seldom make mistakes) and his feedback to the engineers (led by technical director Ross Brawn who worked with him throughout his career) was invariably astute.

No Ferrari driver worked harder for the team, nor were any of them more appreciated than the German who led the Italian team to six successive Constructors' Championships. He led by example, frequently visiting the factory at Maranello, talking to the personnel, thanking them, encouraging them, never criticising and inspiring everyone with his optimism, high energy level and huge work ethic. The team was devoted to the driver who often said he loved the Ferrari 'family.'

Life with his own family - wife Corinna and their children Gina-Maria and Mick - was deliberately kept as normal as possible (they seldom came to the races) by the essentially shy and private man who became one of the most famous sportsmen in the world. Rich beyond his wildest dreams (he reportedly earned as much as $100 million a year), he generously supported charities, especially those for underprivileged children, and to help victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami disaster he made a personal donation of $10 million.

After finishing second in the 2006 championship, the aging superstar was still at the peak of his powers, having won seven races to bring his total to 91 (40 more than his nearest rival, Alain Prost.) No champion had been so superior for so long, but Schumi had grown tired of the effort required to continue to excel and decided to hang up his helmet.

Yet his retirement proved to be only temporary. In 2010, after a three-year hiatus as a consultant to Ferrari, 41-year-old Michael Schumacher succumbed to the lure of driving for the new Mercedes team headed by Ross Brawn. Critics questioned the multiple champion's decision to risk his reputation in the sport that was once his personal playground. He gave his best but made it to the podium only once during his three-year comeback. In his final season of 2012 his opponents included five other world champions - all of them at least a decade younger. "I enjoyed most of it," Michael Schumacher said of the second part of his career. "It wasn't as successful as before but I still learned a lot for life. I found that losing can be both more difficult and more instructive than winning. Now is a good time to go."

(source: f1.com)