F1 Racing Famous Drivers
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher was born on January 3rd, 1969. It was there that the Schumacher family became involved with karting. In 1980 Schumacher traveled to Belgium for the World Karting Championship and saw a driver that impressed him deeply, that driver was Ayrton Senna. Michael Schumacher was soon making a name for himself and in 1984 he won the German Junior Championship. The European championship came his way in 1987.
Opportunity arrived when Jordan's Formula One driver Bertrand Gachot found himself in jail and Schumacher was given a test with the Irish team. His times were a revelation and Schumacher was quickly signed or so it was thought.
Jordan wanted to sign the young driver to a three year contract but Schumacher's advisors urged caution. Eventually, a temporary deal was done and the rest as the saying goes is history. Schumacher made a brilliant debut at Spa in Belgium, where he qualified 7th ahead of his more experienced teammate. The next year Schumacher won his first race at Spa. Showing signs of brilliance his time would come in the black year of 1994 when Schumacher became World Champion.
Having risen through the ranks of karting, Formula Ford and Formula Three in Germany, Schumacher first showed his real mettle as part of Sauber-Mercedes' Junior Team in the World Sportscar Championship. His blend of raw speed, shrewd racecraft, super wet-weather skills and supreme tactical acuity marked Schumacher out from the start as the man most likely to challenge Senna. And like the Brazilian, Schumacher exhibited a willingness to commit the on-track professional foul if it was necessary.
But it was that tragic 1994 season which saw him rise to the top. Schumacher won the opening two races, and was chasing Senna at Imola when the Brazilian crashed fatally. But thereafter, though Schumacher became the new yardstick, controversy was never far away.
Armed with the same Renault engine as Hill in 1995, Schumacher made a much cleaner job of his second title, but then dismayed Benetton by switching to Ferrari for 1996. A third title eluded him that season, but after a poor start to 1997 Schumacher clawed back Jacques Villeneuve's advantage until they went into the final race in Jerez with the German a point ahead. Since 1994 Schumacher had done much to rehabilitate his image, but he sullied it again by trying to take Villeneuve off the road after the French-Canadian had caught him out with a surprise overtaking move. This time Schumacher lost out, and Villeneuve clinched the title.
The following year, in Hungary, Schumacher equalized Alain Prost's record of 51 GP victories and gained his fourth World Championship title. Schumacher was completely dominant in the 2002 World Championship and thus equaled Juan Manuel Fangio's record of five World titles and went on to win titles in 2003 and 2004.
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