Michael Schumacher

-DHRAIEF Sahar

Introduction
Michael Schumacher, nicknamed schumi, is really famous former racing driver in the field of
motorsport and is seen as a legend. He is of german origin ,born Hürth, North Rhine -
Westphalia, West Germany on the 3rd of january 1969 and raced in two different catagories
of motorsport which are formula 1 and the 24h LeMans race. He currently lives in Gland,
Switzerland.

Education
Schumacher, like multiple formula 1 racing drivers, never completed any higher education. In
fact he quit secondary school in 1987 ,aged only 18 years old.

Childhood and Adolescense

Some of us know that getting into motorsport is extremely hard as you need to be lucky and
have a lot of money and the sport is dominated by wealthy people. So when people hear
about the 7 times world champion Michael, they think that he came from a rich and high
background, but they are totally wrong! Actually his parents were from working-class. His dad
Rolf is a bricklayer who later ran the local kart track and his mom is Elisabeth Schumacher ,
who later operated the track's canteen.

So when Schumacher was four, his father modified his pedal kart by adding a small
motorcycle engine. After he crashed it into a lamp post in Kerpen, his parents took him to the
karting track at Kerpen-Horrem, where he became the youngest member of the karting club.
His father built him a kart from discarded parts. And at the age of six, Schumacher won his
first club championship. To support his racing, Schumacher's father had to take on a second
job renting and repairing karts, while his mother worked at the track's canteen.

And to actually show how talented Michael is, regulations in Germany require a driver to be at
least 14 years old to obtain a kart license. To get around this, Schumacher obtained a license
in Luxembourg at the age of 12. In 1983, he obtained his German license, a year after he won
the German Junior Kart Championship. Schumacher joined Eurokart dealer Adolf Neubert in
1985, and by 1987 he was the German and European kart champion, then he quit school and
began working as a mechanic aged only 18! In 1988, he made his first step into single-seat car
racing by participating in the German Formula Ford and Formula König series, winning the
latter.
 Michael
Schumacher
A picture of him on 16th of april 1989 when
he was racing in the Formula 3 German Grand
Prix , aged 20.

Career
Jordan 1991; Schumacher made his Formula One debut with the Irish Jordan-Ford team at
the Belgian Grand Prix, driving car number 32 as a replacement for the imprisoned Bertrand
Gachot. In his debut, Schumacher impressed the paddock by qualifying seventh;[33] he did
so in a midfield car, the Jordan 191, which he drove half a day of testing and at a track he had
never raced at. This also matched the team's season-best grid position, and Schumacher
outqualified veteran de Cesaris.

Benetton (1991–1995); Michael Schumacher started his Formula One career with Jordan in 1991,
quickly moving to Benetton in 1992. He achieved his first podium finish and victory in 1992, and
continued to improve, finishing third in the Drivers' Championship. In 1994, he won his first World
Championship with Benetton, despite controversy surrounding the team and several incidents
with other drivers. He successfully defended his title in 1995, solidifying his position as a dominant
force in Formula One.

Ferrari (1996–2006);

2000–2004: five consecutive World Championships

Between 1996 and 1999, Michael Schumacher faced intense competition in the Formula 1 World
Championships, showcasing both his brilliance and the challenges he encountered.

In 1996, Schumacher secured third place in the Drivers' Championship, helping Ferrari achieve
second in the Constructors' standings despite the car's reliability issues. He won three races,
including his first with Ferrari at the Spanish Grand Prix, where he dominated in wet conditions.

In 1997, Schumacher contended fiercely with Jacques Villeneuve for the title, winning five races.
The dramatic season ended controversially at the European Grand Prix, where Schumacher's
collision with Villeneuve led to his disqualification from the championship after a disciplinary
hearing.
By 1998, Schumacher was again a title contender, battling Mika Häkkinen. Despite winning multiple
races, including a notable victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, he ultimately lost the championship
in the final race after mechanical failures and incidents, continuing Ferrari's championship
drought.

In 1999, Schumacher played a crucial role in securing Ferrari's first Constructors' Championship
since 1983. However, a severe crash at the British Grand Prix resulted in a broken leg, sidelining
him for several races. Upon his return, he supported teammate Eddie Irvine's championship bid,
ultimately finishing the season without securing the Drivers' title, which Häkkinen won again.
Schumacher praised Häkkinen as his greatest rival during this period.

2005–2006: rule changes and first retirement

From 2005 to 2006, Michael Schumacher faced significant challenges due to rule changes that
altered the competitive landscape of Formula 1.

In 2005, new regulations required tires to last an entire race, benefiting teams using Michelin tires
over Ferrari's Bridgestone tires. Schumacher struggled, securing only one victory at the
controversial United States Grand Prix, where many Michelin teams withdrew due to safety
concerns. He finished the season third, far behind champion Fernando Alonso.

The 2006 season marked Schumacher's final year with Ferrari. Despite a rocky start, he rebounded
to win multiple races, including the San Marino Grand Prix, where he set a record for pole
positions. After a series of victories, he led the championship but faced setbacks, including an
engine failure in Japan that cost him valuable points. In the season finale at the Brazilian Grand
Prix, Schumacher showcased his skill by finishing fourth after starting from tenth, concluding his
career with 91 wins and numerous records, including most championship titles (7) and consecutive
titles (5). His retirement announcement was met with affection from fans and the media,
recognizing his impact on the sport.

2007–2009: new roles at Ferrari, motorcycle racing, and injury

In 2007, Michael Schumacher transitioned to a role as an adviser for Ferrari, assisting with the
development of their cars and focusing on testing electronics and tires for the 2008 season.
He also ventured into motorcycle racing, achieving a commendable third place in the IDM
Superbike series.

In July 2009, after Felipe Massa was seriously injured during qualifying at the Hungarian
Grand Prix, Ferrari considered bringing Schumacher back to race in his place. He prepared by
testing a modified Ferrari F2007, but ultimately had to cancel his return due to complications
from a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident earlier that year. This disappointment
was described by Schumacher as his "toughest moment," as he could not fulfill his desire to
race again, and Massa's seat was taken by Luca Badoer and later Giancarlo Fisichella.

Schumacher's period with Ferrari was and still is considered as his prime!

Mercedes (2010–2012);
In December 2009, Michael Schumacher announced his return to Formula One for the 2010
season with the Mercedes GP team, partnering with Nico Rosberg. He signed a three-year
contract worth about £20 million, motivated by his passion for racing and the opportunity to
work with Ross Brawn again.

At 41, he faced significant challenges, finishing ninth, eighth, and thirteenth over three
seasons, with just one podium and three laps led. Despite criticism regarding his pace,
Schumacher maintained a humble approach and focused on enjoying the sport. Many
attributed his struggles to a neck injury from a motorcycle accident, which may have
impacted his performance more than his age or absence from racing.

2010: return from retirement

In the 2010 season, Michael Schumacher returned to Formula One and finished sixth in the
Bahrain Grand Prix, his first race in over three years. He struggled initially, consistently
finishing behind teammate Nico Rosberg, leading to skepticism about his performance.
Mercedes identified understeer issues and the new regulations as challenges for Schumacher.

He had notable moments, including a fourth-place finish in the Spanish Grand Prix and a
controversial sixth at Monaco, where he received a penalty for breaching safety car rules. His
best results came with a fifth-place qualifying and fourth in the Turkish Grand Prix. However,
he faced setbacks, including a ten-place grid penalty for dangerous driving against Rubens
Barrichello.

The season ended with a major accident at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ultimately, Schumacher
finished ninth with 72 points, marking the first time since 1991 that he concluded a season
without a win, podium, or fastest lap.

2011–2012: final podium and second retirement

In the 2011 season, Michael Schumacher showed improvement with a ninth-place finish in
Malaysia and a strong fourth in Canada, marking his first lead in a race since 2006. He ended
the year eighth in the standings with 76 points.

In 2012, he qualified fastest at Monaco but faced multiple retirements, achieving a best result
of third at the European Grand Prix. Schumacher announced his retirement for a second time
in October 2012, concluding his career with 91 wins and numerous records.

Despite not winning during his comeback, his contributions to Mercedes were acknowledged,
reinforcing his legacy as one of Formula One's greatest drivers.

Achievements
Schumacher won a record-setting seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, a
record which was tied by Lewis Hamilton in 2020. At the time of his retirement, Schumacher
held the records for most wins (91), pole positions (68), and podium finishes (155), while he
maintains the record for most fastest laps (77), among others.

Interests
Michael Schumacher's interests include:

1. Motorcycling: He participated in motorcycle racing events.

2. Sports Cars: He has a passion for sports cars and endurance racing and his racing model
was the legend Ayrton Senna.
3. Family: He values time with his wife and children.
4. Philanthropy: He supports various charitable causes, especially for children's health and
education.
5. Adventure Sports: He enjoys activities like skiing and outdoor sports.
6. Fitness: Maintaining physical fitness is important to him.
7. Collecting: He collects cars and motorsport memorabilia.
8. Music; His favourite two genres are Rock and Dance and his favourite singers are Michael
Jackson and Tina Turner.

His accident
A year after his retirement in 2012, Schumacher got involved in a tragic accident. His skiing
accident was in 2013. He was skiing in the French Alps with his son Mick who also grew up to
be a racing driver. Michael fell and hit his head on a rock, sustaining a serious head injury
despite wearing a ski helmet. Schumacher was put into a medically induced coma because of
brain injury for 250 days. He cannot talk or move anymore and he has not been shown on the
media ever since. But it has been said that he made an appearance at his daughter's wedding
on the 28th of September in 2024.