Michael Schumacher – The best Formula 1 (F1) driver

Michael Schumacher

(3 January 1969, Hürth-Hermülheim, West Germany)
Nationality: Germany
Category: Athletes
Occupation: Racecar driver
Unique distinction: The best Formula 1 (F1) driver of his era
Height: 5′ 8½” (1.74 m)

Quotes: 1. The more precisely I can drive, the more I enjoy myself.
2. Once something is a passion, the motivation is there.
3. I always thought records were there to be broken.
4. If you do things to the limit, and don’t purposely go over that limit, then I think it’s fine to do whatever you want. So long as you enjoy it. That’s what’s important.
5. I will do everything I can to bring the Number One to Ferrari. The whole team and all the fans deserve it.
6. I’ve always believed that you should never, ever give up and you should always keep fighting even when there’s only a slightest chance.
7. We are always there, we always fight, we never give up… that’s why we are here.

Achievements and contributions:


Social and professional position: Michael Schumacher is a German retired Formula One auto race driver.
The main contribution to (what is known): He is regarded as one of the most excellent Formula One drivers of all time.
Contributions: Michael Schumacher – is an outstanding German retired Formula One auto race, driver. He is a 7 time F1 World drivers’ Champion and now races for the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team.
He is “statistically the greatest driver in the World” and is regarded as the best Formula 1 (F1) driver of his era.
He is the only German to win the Formula One World Championship and is credited with popularizing Formula One in Germany.
Michael also holds the F1 legendary records for most career wins (91); most wins in a season; most career pole positions; most points during a season (148 in 2004); most consecutive world championships (5); most consecutive race wins (2004); most podium finishes (155); most laps leading; fastest laps (77).
Schumacher is the only Formula One driver, to have an entire season of podium finishes (2002).
Driving style. During the race, he is capable of sensitively and accurately manipulating pedals, almost not removing his foot from the accelerator. Michael is known for his incredible sense of machines and an unprecedented ability to customize his car during the race. He is also characterized by a competitive and even aggressive style of driving.
Off the tracking activity. Schumacher is an ambassador for UNESCO and has donated 1.5 million Euros to the organization.
He has been involved in numerous humanitarian efforts throughout his life, particularly he paid for the construction of a school and hospital for poor children, and a centre for helping homeless street children. His donation surpassed that of any other sportsperson, most sports leagues, many worldwide corporations and even some countries. Thus it is known that during four years (2001-294), he donated at least $50 million.
Stats Grand Prix Entries- 308; Wins -91; Podiums -155; Career points 1,566.
Fastest laps -77, Pole Positions -68.
Major works: He won 7 Formula One World Championships (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004).

Career and personal life:


Origin: Schumacher was born in Hürth, North Rhine-Westphalia, in a city that shares borders with Cologne. Son of Rolf Schumacher, a bricklayer and go-kart track worker and Elisabeth a go-kart track worker.
Education: He went to grammar school in Hermülheim.

Career highlights: 

Schumacher has driven the Jordan team (his first race), Benetton (1991-95), Ferrari (1995-2006), Mercedes (2010 -2012)
He debuted as a racecar driver in 1988 and in 1990 had become Germany’s Formula Three champion.
His first F1 race was the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, and his first F1 victory was in the same event in 1992.
Schumacher won his first World Champion title in 1994,  repeating the feat in 1995. At that time Michael became the youngest double Formula 1 World Champion (1994 and 1995 seasons) ever.
After four years with Benetton and winning two championships, Michael Schumacher moved to Scuderia Ferrari in 1996.
His career was interrupted in 1999 when he suffered a broken leg in his first severe crash, but in 2000 brought them their first world title in 21 years.  In general, he won five consecutive driver titles with them from 2000–2004, becoming the first driver to win the F1 title seven times.
Schuey announced his retirement from F1 racing at the end of the 2006 season.  His final race was the Brazilian Grand Prix on 22 October 2006.
After that, he was retained in a consultancy role by Ferrari.
However, in 2010 Michael sensationally returned to F1 racing, by signing a 3-year contract to race for the Mercedes GP team. Schumacher’s first drive of the 2010 Mercedes car was at the official test on 2 February 2010 in Valencia, where he finished sixth.
The 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix marked Michael Schumacher’s final race before his second retirement.
Teams: Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, Mercedes.
Championships: 7 (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004).

Personal life: 

Michael Schumacher was born in Hürth Hermülheim, to Rolf Schumacher, a bricklayer, and his wife Elisabeth, who worked in a cafe. His parents took him to the karting track at Kerpen-Horrem, where he became the youngest member of the karting club. His father soon built him a kart from discarded parts and at the age of six Schumacher won his first club championship.
To support his son’s racing, Rolf Schumacher took on a second job renting and repairing karts, while his wife worked at the track’s canteen.
It is already 16 years old, Schumacher raced karts, becoming the German and European Karting champion in 1987.  Later, during his active years as a race driver (1991–2006), he won many records in Formula One, gained worldwide fame and became the world’s best-ever racing driver.
In August 1995, Michael married Corinna Betsch (born on March 2, 1969). They have two children, Gina-Maria (born on 20 February 1997) and Mick (born on 22 March 1999). Daughter: Gina-Maria (b. 19-Jan-1997).
Michael Schumacher has always been very protective of his private life and is known to dislike the celebrity spotlight, preferring a simple life. The family currently lives near Gland in Switzerland. Their home is a 650 m² mansion with its own underground garage and petrol station, situated on a private beach on Lake Geneva.
The family has two dogs – one stray that Corinna picked in Brazil, and an Australian Shepherd named “Ed”.
One of his main hobbies is horse riding, and he plays football for his local team FC Echichens.  He has appeared in several football charity games and organised games between Formula One drivers.
Schumacher’s bodyguard Burkhard Cramer was killed in the tsunami along with his two sons. He donated $10 million for aid after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
In 2004, Forbes Magazine listed him as the highest-paid racing driver in the world and second highest-earning sportsman in the world, behind Tiger Woods, earning a reported $80 million US in 2004 ($40m of which was his salary from Ferrari). In 2005 Euro business magazine identified Schumacher as the world’s first billionaire athlete.
A significant share of his income came from advertising.
For example, Deutsche Vermögensberatung paid him $8 million over three years from 1999 for wearing a 10 by 8-centimetre advertisement on his post-race cap.

The accident

On December 30, 2013, while skiing in France with his son Mick and a group of friends,[ru] Гете – Великий немецкий поэт, ключевая фигура европейской культуры Schumacher suffered a serious head injury. He was in a coma for six months until 16 June 2014. He left the hospital in Grenoble for further rehabilitation at the University Hospital (CHUV) in Lausanne.
On 9 September 2014, Schumacher was relocated to his home where he continues to receive medical treatment and rehabilitation privately.
Many people and F1 fans the world over have come together to support their hero. Here’s to a swift and full recovery for the greatest Formula One drivers of all time.
He resides in Vufflens-le-Chateau, Switzerland near Lake Geneva.
In 2019 Schumacher’s former Ferrari boss Todt said the racer has remained strong.
Todt told that he had watched an F1 race with the driver. Michael “keeps on fighting” and Schumacher’s family continues to fight with him.

His wife Corinna said the racer is “different, but he’s here”.  “He still shows me how strong he is every day. We live together at home. We do therapy”.

Zest
: Nicknames – Schumi, Schuey, The Sun Boy, The Red Baron. His Schumacher’s younger brother Ralf was a Formula One driver until the end of 2007. He currently races in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM).
Their stepbrother Sebastian Stahl has also been competing as a race car driver. Schumacher likes to play football, and enjoys skiing, running, and athletics. His favourite artists are Michael Jackson and Tina Turner.
His favourite film is The Silence of the Lambs (1991).