michael schumacher biography deutsch

Formel 1-Pilot Michael Schumacher bei der Verleihung des Silbernen Lorbeerblattes.

Bildnachweis: REGIERUNGonline; B 145 Bild-00019585

Michael Schumacher geb. 1969

Michael Schumacher ist ein deutscher Motorsportler. Mit sieben Weltmeistertiteln ist er der erfolgreichste Formel-1-Pilot der Geschichte. Seine größten Erfolge feiert er von 1996 bis 2006 mit dem Ferrari-Rennstall, für den er fünf Mal hintereinander die Weltmeisterschaft einfährt. Seit einem Skiunfall 2013 lebt er zurückgezogen bei seiner Familie.

3. Januar: Michael Schumacher wird in Hürth, einem Vorort von Köln, als Sohn des Kartbahnbetreibers Rolf Schumacher und dessen Frau Elisabeth geboren.

Schumacher fährt erste Go-Kart-Rennen.

30. Juni: Sein Bruder Ralf wird geboren.

Schumacher wird Deutscher Juniorenmeister im Kartfahren.

Er erringt abermals die Deutsche Juniorenmeisterschaft und wird außerdem Vize-Kart-Weltmeister.

Schumacher beginnt in Otzberg bei Darmstadt eine Ausbildung zum Kfz-Mechaniker und legt 1989 seine Gesellenprüfung ab.

Gewinn der Kart-Europameisterschaft und der Deutschen Kartmeisterschaft.

Sieger der Deutschen Formel-König-Meisterschaft und Zweiter in der Formel-Ford-1600-Europameisterschaft.

Schumacher fährt seine erste Formel 3-Saison im Team seines späteren Managers Willi Weber. Er kann zwei Rennen gewinnen und beendet die Saison als Dritter im Gesamtklassement.

Sieg in der Formel 3-Meisterschaft. Schumacher nimmt außerdem im Juniorenteam von Mercedes-Benz an der Gruppe C-Weltmeisterschaft teil und wird Fünfter in der Gesamtwertung.

25. August: Schumacher fährt sein erstes Formel 1- Rennen in Spa-Francochamps (Belgien) in einem Jordan. Er kann sich als Siebter qualifizieren, scheidet im Rennen allerdings nach wenigen Runden wegen technischer Probleme aus. Unmittelbar nach dem Rennen wird er von Benetton-Renault verpflichtet und fährt die restliche Saison für dieses Team. Er belegt Rang 12 in der Gesamtwertung.

In seiner ersten kompletten Formel 1-Saison kann Schumacher in Spa seinen ersten Sieg in der Formel 1 feiern: Er gewinnt vor Nigel Mansell, der zu diesem Zeitpunkt schon Weltmeister ist. Insgesamt wird Schumacher in dieser Saison Dritter.

26. September: Schumacher siegt in Estoril (Portugal) vor Weltmeister Alain Prost und beendet die Saison als Gesamtvierter.

1. Mai: Ayrton Senna, der große Favorit für den WM-Titel 1994, stirbt im Rennen von Imola (San Marino). Es entwickelt sich daraufhin ein erbitterter Zweikampf zwischen Sennas Teamkollegen Damon Hill und Michael Schumacher. Seinen Höhepunkt findet dieser Wettstreit im letzten Rennen der Saison, als beide Fahrer nach einer Kollision ausscheiden und Schumacher mit einem Punkt Vorsprung die Weltmeisterschaft für sich entscheiden kann.

5. August: Heirat mit Corinna Betsch. In der Formel 1 kann Schumacher wiederum den Weltmeistertitel erlangen und wird somit der jüngste Doppelweltmeister der Formel 1. Er wird Sonderbotschafter "Sport und Erziehung" der UNESCO.

Vor dem Beginn der Formel 1-Saison wechselt Schumacher von Benetton zu Ferrari mit dem Ziel, das traditionsreiche Team wieder siegfähig zu machen. Trotz vieler technisch bedingter Ausfälle kann er immerhin drei Rennen (Spanien, Belgien und Italien) für sich entscheiden und beendet die Saison als Dritter.

20. Februar: Seine Tochter Gina-Maria wird geboren.

In seiner zweiten Saison für Ferrari kämpft Schumacher um den WM-Titel. Im letzten Rennen rammt er jedoch bei einem Überholversuch Jacques Villeneuve, seinen härtesten Gegner, und scheidet aus. Villeneuve kann weiterfahren und wird Weltmeister. Wegen seiner Aktion gegen Villeneuve werden Schumacher nachträglich alle seine 1997 errungenen Punkte und sein Vizeweltmeistertitel aberkannt.

Schumacher wird hinter Mika Häkkinen Vizeweltmeister der Formel 1.

22. März: Geburt seines Sohnes Mick. In der Formel 1 sieht alles wieder nach einem Zweikampf zwischen Häkkinen und Schumacher aus, bis Schumacher in Silverstone (England) mit über 100km/h frontal in eine Mauer rast und sich das rechte Schien- und Wadenbein bricht. Er beendet die Saison auf Platz Fünf.

Schumacher wird zum ersten Mal Weltmeister mit Ferrari. Seit 1979 konnte das Rennsportunternehmen erstmals wieder den Fahrertitel erringen.

In dieser Saison sichert sich Schumacher schon vor dem fünften Rennen vor Schluss den WM-Titel. Er kann außerdem die Bestmarke von neun Siegen in einer Saison (Nigel Mansell, 1992) erreichen.

Schumacher wird bereits im siebten Rennen vor Saisonende zum fünften Mal Formel 1-Weltmeister. Mit 144 Punkten holt er so viele Punkte in einer Saison wie noch niemand zuvor.

20. April: Seine Mutter Elisabeth stirbt. Zu Beginn der Saison wird ein neues Punktesystem eingeführt: Für Platz Eins erhalten die Fahrer nun acht Punkte. Schumacher gewinnt daraufhin den Titel erst im letzten Rennen. Es ist seine sechste Weltmeisterschaft mit zwei Punkten Vorsprung vor Kimi Räikkönen.

Mitte des Jahres hat er bereits zehn von elf Rennen gewonnen. Er beendet die Saison mit seiner siebten Weltmeisterschaft. Nach fünf WM-Titeln in Folge und sieben WM-Titeln insgesamt ist er der erfolgreichste Formel 1-Pilot aller Zeiten.

Die Saison endet für Schumacher auf Rang 3. Er erzielt jedoch nur einen einzigen Grand-Prix-Sieg.

Schumacher leiht dem Pixar-Animationsfilm "Cars" seine Stimme für den Ferrari F430, sowoh in der englischen als auch in der deutschen Fassung.

22.10. Schumacher fährt das letzte Rennen für Ferrari und zieht sich aus der Formel 1 zurück. Er beendet die Saison auf Platz 2 der WM-Wertung.

In der Realverfilmung des Comics "Asterix bei den Olympischen Spielen" spielt Schumacher die Rolle des schnellen Germanen "Schumix", eines Pferdewagen-Rennfahrers.

Sein Bruder Ralf beendet nach 10 Jahren seine Formel-1-Karriere und wechselt zur DTM.

20.3. Schumacher nimmt als Amateur an einer sogenannten Motorrad-Racing-for-Fun-Veranstaltung teil. Er landet auf Anhieb auf Platz 3. Im Verlauf des Jahres nimmt er an neun Rennen der Superbike-Klasse der Internationalen Deutschen Motorradmeisterschaft für das Team Holzhauer Racing Promotion teil.

23.12. Nachdem es zuvor schon Gerüchte gegeben hatte, verkündet das neue Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, dass Schumacher einen Dreijahresvertrag unterschrieben habe und somit in die Formel 1 zurückkehren werde.

Rückkehr in die Formel 1: Aufgrund technischer Schwierigkeiten mit dem Auto gestaltet sich die Comeback-Saison für Schumacher unerwartet schwierig. Sie endet mit Platz 9 der WM-Gesamtwertung. Für 2012 kündigt er an, den Titel gewinnen zu wollen. Schumachers Pressesprecherin Sabine Kehm wird seine neue Managerin und somit die Nachfolgerin Willi Webers.

Auch die Saison 2011 beginnt enttäuschend für Schumacher und Mercedes. Es mehren sich Gerüchte, dass er bereits Ende 2011 zurücktreten werde. Die Gerüchte stimmen nicht. Am Saison-Ende ist er 8. der Weltrangliste.

Die starke Defektanfälligkeit seines Wagens bremst Schumachers Ambitionen auch 2012 aus.

4.10. In Suzuka (Japan) erklärt Schumacher seinen endgültigen Rücktritt von der Formel 1. Seine letzte Saison endet für ihn auf Platz 13 der WM-Wertung.

29.12. Schumacher stürzt beim Skifahren in den französischen Alpen schwer und prallt mit dem Kopf an einen Felsen. Er erleidet ein schweres Schädel-Hirn-Trauma und wird in der Intensivstation der Klinik in Grenoble (F) ins künstliche Koma versetzt. Sein kritischer Zustand löst großen Medienrummel aus.

16. Juni: Seine Pressesprecherin und Managerin Sabine Kehm gibt bekannt, dass Schumacher nicht mehr im Koma liege und die Klinik in Grenoble verlassen habe. Zunächst kommt er zur Rehabilitation in die Uniklinik in Lausanne (CH).

September: Schumacher verlässt die Klinik in Lausanne und setzt seine Rehabilitation zu Hause fort.

November: Ein Jahr nach seinem Unfall erklärt seine Managerin, Schumacher mache Fortschritte, die der Schwere seiner Verletzung angemessen seien.

Schumacher erhält den Millennium-Bambi. Formel-1-Weltmeister Sebastian Vettel hält die Laudatio.

15. Februar: Eröffnung der Ausstellung "Michael Schumacher – Der Rekordweltmeister" in Marburg an der Lahn, die bis 2018 laufen soll.

Mai: 25 Jahre nach seinem Debüt in der Formel 1 bekommt Schumacher den Lebenswerk-Preis des Nürburgrings verliehen.

Schumacher wird in die von der Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe initiierte Hall of Fame des deutschen Sports aufgenommen. Über seinen Gesundheitszustand ist nichts bekannt.

(reh/str/vvg) © Stiftung Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Stand: 19.09.2022 Text: CC BY NC SA 4.0

Empfohlene Zitierweise: Haunhorst, Regina/Trösch, Sven/Vargas Gonzalez, Veronica: Biografie Michael Schumacher, in: LeMO-Biografien, Lebendiges Museum Online, Stiftung Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, URL: http://www.hdg.de/lemo/biografie/michael-schumacher.html Zuletzt besucht am 04.05.2024

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Official website

Michael Schumacher

The Documentary

30 years ago Michael drives his first Formula 1 race

The small start into the big career

On the eve of his first race weekend in Formula 1, Michael Schumacher is not really fit, but he would never let it show. Michael remembers: "When I arrived at Spa that evening, I felt strangely restricted: like when you have this tunnel vision where you don't see anything anymore and only concentrate on the closest things." The "nearest things", as Michael calls it, worked so well that after that race weekend the pundits had a new name to watch out for: Michael Schumacher. He might go places.

Schumacher. The Official App

The Official App and other presents

To celebrate Michael Schumacher’s 50th birthday on 3 January 2019, the Keep Fighting Foundation is giving him, his family and his fans a very special gift: the Official Michael Schumacher App, a virtual museum that honors the career of one of the most successful Formula 1 drivers in history in an unprecedented way.

MESSAGE FROM MICHAEL'S FAMILY

"Your strength is helping us"

Still we receive wishes for Michael to get well soon every day, and still we are stunned by the sheer amount of sympathies. We can only always thank you for facing this fight together with him and us. We remain confident and hope the best for Michael. Your strength is helping us to keep supporting him.

Racing driver, sports icon, legend. The first film supported by his family gives unique insights into the life of the seven-time Formula 1 world champion: SCHUMACHER, from September 15 on Netflix.

Benjamin Seikel and Vanessa Nöcker from B|14 FILM GmbH were responsible for the production of SCHUMACHER. Hanns-Bruno Kammertöns, Vanessa Nöcker and Michael Wech directed the film.

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Last updated December 15, 2022

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• Schumacher, Michael
• Biographien
• Šumacher, Michael

Biografische Lexika/Biogramme

• LeMO - Lebendiges Museum Online [1998]
• * Filmportal [2010-]

Quellen(nachweise)

• Archivportal-D

Literatur(nachweise)

• Katalog des Bibliotheksverbundes Bayern (BVB)
• Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek
• Österreichischer Bibliothekenverbund (OBV)
• Gemeinsamer Verbundkatalog (GBV)
• Index Theologicus (IxTheo)

Objekt/Werk(nachweise)

Porträt(nachweise).

• * Bildarchiv im Bundesarchiv

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Schumacher, Michael, Index entry in: Deutsche Biographie, https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd119092069.html [04.05.2024].

2024 FIA Formula One Season. Stay Up To Date

Michael Schumacher

• Hürth, Germany Place of Birth
• 3 January 1969 Date of Birth
• 1991 Belgian Grand Prix F1 Debut
• Mercedes Current/Last Team

Michael Schumacher, one of the greatest F1 drivers in the history of the sport, competed for various teams, including Jordan , Benetton , Ferrari , and Mercedes and won a record seven World Drivers’ Championship titles—a record he now shares with Lewis Hamilton .

When Schumacher retired from racing in 2012, he held multiple records, including the most wins (91), pole positions (68), and podium finishes (155). And while Hamilton has since broken some of those records, Schumacher still holds the record for the most fastest laps (77), among others.

Schumacher grew up in a working-class family and started his racing career in karting. At just six years old, he won his first karting championship in a kart he built from discarded parts. Throughout his early career, Schumacher achieved many successes, such as winning the 1987 European karting championship and several single-seater series. He made a one-off Formula One appearance with Jordan at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix before being signed by Benetton for the rest of the season, where he won his first and second driver’s titles in 1994 and 1995. He then moved to Ferrari in 1996, and, despite some setbacks, he and the team won five consecutive titles from 2000 to 2004.

Beyond racing, Schumacher was an ambassador for UNESCO and participated in many humanitarian projects. He also donated tens of millions of dollars to charity. In 2013, Schumacher suffered a severe brain injury in a skiing accident that left him in a medically induced coma until June 2014. He then underwent rehabilitation at the Lausanne University Hospital before being relocated to his home for private medical treatment and rehabilitation. Despite the challenges he faced, Schumacher remains a legend in the world of racing and a beloved figure to many fans worldwide.

Michael Schumacher Formula One World Championship career

Michael schumacher formula one records.

Schumacher holds/held these Formula One records:

Michael Schumacher Updates

2004 Belgian Grand Prix: Schumacher’s Seventh Drivers’ World Championship

1996 Japanese Grand Prix: Damon Hill’s Drivers’ World Championship

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RaceFans > Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher had won more world championship and races than any other driver by the time he ended a career which spanned 19 seasons.

His unparalleled success included occasional moments of deep controversy, from his first world championship in 1994 to his initial retirement from F1 12 years later.

He then returned four years later with Mercedes, only to retire again at the end of 2012. However a tragic coda to his career occurred 12 months later when he fell while skiing and suffered serious head injuries.

Schumacher’s debut drive for Jordan at Spa-Francorchamps in 1991 rocked the F1 establishment. Here was a little-known driver from the Mercedes sports car team qualifying seventh on the grid at one of the most respected circuits on the calendar.

Clutch failure ended his race within moments of it starting. He would never be seen in a Jordan again. Flavio Briatore pounced to prise Schumacher out of the cockpit and got him into a Benetton for the very next race.

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The following year Schumacher successfully interrupted the dominant Williams team’s stranglehold on success with an opportunistic win at the track where he made his debut. An off-track excursion gave him the opportunity to observe the state of his team mate’s tyres as the damp track dried. Schumacher made a plucky call to switch to slick tyres earlier than his rivals, and his driving skill took care of the rest.

That was the first of what would eventually be a record-smashing 91 wins. A further win followed in 1993, again snatched from the Williams juggernaut, this time thwarting Alain Prost at Portugal.

But in 1994 the way became clear for Schumacher to lay waste to the F1 history books. Most of the recent champions had retired or were retiring. Three races into the season Ayrton Senna was killed at Imola. By the end of the year Schumacher had won nine of the 16 races.

But his Benetton team were repeatedly accused of cheating. The FIA found evidence of an illegal traction control system on the car. After Schumacher’s team mate Jos Verstappen suffered an horrendous fire during the German Grand Prix an investigation discovered a filter had been removed from the fuel rig. Years later, Verstappen insisted Schumacher’s car had not been legal.

Schumacher was disqualified from the British Grand Prix after overtaking Damon Hill on the formation lap, and was banned from a further two races for failing to heed the black flag to begin with. And at Spa he was stripped of a win for a technical infringement.

This left him with a scant one-point lead heading into the season finale at Adelaide. Under intense pressure from Hill, Schumacher went off and damaged his car. Seeing his promised title slip into away he swung into the side of Hill’s car as the Williams driver moved to pass him, taking both out and securing the title for himself .

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His second title in 1995 was achieved with less controversy and more displays of driving greatness. The season got off to a slow start but once Schumacher got into his stride the wins came thick and fast,

Hill was simply out-classed – the pair clashed twice on-track at Silverstone and Monza. In wet conditions at Spa and the Nurburgring Schumacher produced virtuouso drives, leading many to conclude that in Schumacher a new F1 great had been found.

Having conquered F1 with Benetton, Schumacher resolved to do it all over again with Ferrari . It took five years to bring the drivers’ title home to the Scuderia, with a few near-misses on the way.

It was clear from the outset that little would be achieved with the F310. But when the teams assembled at a near-flooded Catalunya circuit for the seventh round of the season, Schumacher battled through the field and disappeared off to a dominant victory. He added two more by the end of the year, at Belgium and Italy.

With Benetton ally Ross Brawn rejoining him for 1997 Schumacher was ready for another crack at the title. He persistently took points off rival Jacques Villeneuve despite his Williams often enjoying a considerable performance advantage. When rain fell at Monaco and Spa Schumacher was untouchable.

The season took a controversial twist at the penultimate race in Suzuka, where Villeneuve collected a hefty penalty for going too quickly through a yellow flag zone. Schumacher’s team mate Eddie Irvine – who’d grown used to the idea that he was expected to support rather than rival his team mate – was deployed to help Schumacher win the race, and go into the season finale with a one-point lead.

At Jerez events took a familiar turn. Villeneuve reeled Schumacher in and pounced – only to find the Ferrari swerving unavoidably into his path. This time the contact proved terminal only for Schumacher – Villeneuve was able to limp to the flag and claim the championship .

Schumacher was vilified but the sport’s governing body stayed its hand. It handed down a token punishment of exclusion from the 1997 championship (not that second place mattered much to Schumacher) and required him to participate in a road safety initiative.

Schumacher hit back and the two pushed each other hard all season. The championship went down to the wire at Suzuka where Schumacher started from pole position – only to face demotion to the back of the grid after his car overheated on the line and wouldn’t start. Schumacher battled his way through the field but a puncture finally ended his hopes and confirmed Hakkinen as the champion.

The year had begun well with victories in San Marino and Monaco. At the British Grand Prix McLaren and Hakkinen hit back, and given how Hakkinen’s title bid went off the rails in Schumacher’s absence it’s possible he might have won the championship had he not been injured.

Schumacher returned to the cockpit at Sepang for the penultimate race, now expected to support Irvine’s bid for the championship. This he did in a crushing display of superiority, first disappearing off into the distance, then holding rivlas up while letting Irvine through to win. But at the season finale in Japan Schumacher had no reply for Hakkinen, who wrapped up his second title.

Ferrari’s wait for their next drivers’ champion finally ended in 2000. Now partnered by Rubens Barrichello , Schumacher won the first three races of the year leaving Hakkinen with a lot of catching-up to do.

At the middle part of the season it looked as though Schumacher was going to be denied again. First-lap crashes in Austria and Germany handed golden opportunities to McLaren. And at Spa Hakkinen triumphed in gripping battle with his Ferrari nemesis. Schumacher’s attempts to fend off Hakkinen’s attacks by pushing him onto the grass at 200mph drew fierce criticism from many – not least his rival.

But that race marked a turning point in the season. Schumacher came back stronger and won the final four races, putting the title beyond Hakkinen’s grasp. He wouldn’t let go of the trophy for five years.

Schumacher redefined the terms of domination in Formula 1. He won nine races in 2001, then 11 in 2002. No cars were able to rival the Ferraris – and it was clear from events at Austria in 2001 and 2002 – where Barrichello was twice ordered to pull over and let Schumacher past – that Ferrari were not interested in pairing him with any kind of serious rival.

By 2002 the pairing of Schumacher with a fast, reliable Ferrari with its powerful engine and near-bespoke Bridgestone tyres combined to produce one of the most dominant seasons the sport has ever seen. The F2002 never let Schumacher down once, he finished every race on the podium, and set a new record by winning the world championship with six races to spare.

The 2003 season proved much more closely matched as Schumacher came under pressure from the likes of Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya.

But late in the season a controversial change in the rules forced Michelin – rival to Ferrari’s tyre supplier Bridgestone – to change the construction of their tyres. After that decision Ferrari won the next eight races in a row, and Schumacher collected title number six.

Once his seventh championship title was wrapped up Schumacher had an oddly uneven end to the season. He suffered a serious crash in testing at Monza, was all at sea at the new Shanghai circuit, and had a grid penalty in Brazil after crashing in practice and damaging his engine. This proved a foretaste of a difficult 2005.

What finally brought the Schumacher domination of F1 to an end was not the arrival of a new opponent but a change in the technical rules. In 2005 tyre changes during the race were banned, forcing both tyre companies to build harder compounds. Michelin mastered the technology while Bridgestone struggled.

Schumacher won just once all year, the farcical United States Grand Prix where only the six Bridgestone-shod runners competed – those being the Ferraris plus the throroughly uncompetitive Jordans and Minardis.

The tyre rules were changed back for 2006 and Ferrari were back on form. But Schumacher faced a tough rival in the shape of new world champion Fernando Alonso .

This was as closely-matched a championship battle as has ever been fought. While Alonso managed four wins on the trot Schumacher hit back with a hat-trick of victories in the middle of the season.

It brought out the best and worst in Schumacher once again. His final victory in the rain Shanghai was up there with his very best – but parking his car during qualifying at Monaco to try to have the session stopped while he was on pole position was a crass stunt that fooled no-one – even the stewards couldn’t let that one go unpunished, sending Schumacher to the back of the grid.

At a crucial point Ferrari’s usually exceptional reliabilit failed them. Schumacher’s engine blew while he was leading from Alonso at Japan.

He narrowly lost the championship but signed off with a majestic drive against the odds to finish fourth at Interlagos after a puncture. It seemed a fitting conclusion to a great career – but it turned out this was not the end.

In 2009 it briefly looked as though Schumacher was going to make a surprise comeback after Felipe Massa was injured at the Hungaroring. But Schumacher had damaged his neck in a motor cycle racing accident earlier in the year, and after testing an F1 car discovered he could not return to the cockpit after all.

Having whetted his appetite for a comeback, Schumacher later confirmed he would be racing in F1 again – but not for Ferrari. Instead he joined the new Mercedes team in 2010.

Three years away from the cockpit seemed to have dulled Schumacher’s edge on his return. Throughout the season he was comfortably handled by team mate Nico Rosberg .

At times his driving looked distinctly desperate, particularly at the Hungaroring, where he was censured for almost pushing Rubens Barrichello into the pit wall as the pair battled for position.

Schumacher stuck with it and the situation seemed to be improving towards the end of the season, achieving fourth place in the rain at Korea.

Schumacher’s second season with Mercedes was a mixed bag – glimpses of his old form, albeit compromised by consistently poor qualifying and a string of race collisions, mostly involving Vitaly Petrov .

When Schumacher had the car at the front of the field he was at his best, scrapping with the Red Bulls and McLarens in Canada, and resisting Lewis Hamilton for lap after lap at Monza.

He ended the year behind Rosberg again, but much closer than he had been in 2010.

The third year of Schumacher’s comeback got off to a promising start as the W03 proved immediately competitive. But he retired while running in a strong position in the first race and an error by his team in the pits ended his race in China, while Rosberg headed to victory.

Unreliability cost Schumacher on several other occasions, mostly in the early part of the season when the car was at its best. But he also made mistakes, such as when he drove into the rear of Bruno Senna’s car during the Spanish Grand Prix.

His grid penalty for the collision cost him what would have been pole position in Monaco. However in Valencia it finally came right and Schumacher finally returned to the podium, finishing third.

That proved his final visit. Unsure whether he wished to continue in F1, Mercedes moved to sign Lewis Hamilton for 2013 leaving Schumacher to make a widely-anticipated return to retirement. He signed off with a final points finish in Brazil, symbolically pulling over for Sebastian Vettel as his countryman and successor headed to his third world championship.

At the end of his first year from retirement in Formula 1, Schumacher fell while skiing in France and suffered serious head injuries. Following a lengthy stay in hospital he returned home, but since the accident there was little information about his condition from the Schumacher family. That was until a Netflix-produced documentary on the seven-time champion – titled ‘Schumacher’ – was released in 2021. In the documentary, the Schumacher family confirmed that he continues to receive treatment for his injuries, with Schumacher’s son, Mick, describing that he is unable to discus his own racing career with his father.

Mick Schumacher enjoyed considerable motorsport success of his own. He secured the FIA Formula 3 Euro championship in 2018 before moving to Formula 2, eventually being crowned champion in 2020.

When Haas signed him to a race seat for 2021 , the Schumacher name returned to the Formula 1 grid for the first time in nine years, though he lost his drive after two years with the team.

Michael Schumacher featured articles

• Michael Schumacher: the Mercedes sports car years
• “He was on it from the word go” – Michael Schumacher’s F1 debut remembered

Books about Michael Schumacher

• “Michael Schumacher: The edge of greatness” (James Allen, 2007)
• “Schumacher: The life of the new Formula 1 World Champion” (Timothy Collings, 1994)
• “Team Schumacher” (Timothy Collings, 2005)
• “Michael Schumacher: The Whole Story” (Christopher Hilton, 2006)
• “Michael Schumacher: Driving Force” (Sabine Kehm, 2003)
• Dark Mode Toggle

mSchumacher.com

Fan site of formula 1 driver michael schumacher.

His Manager…

Michael’s manager from 1989 was fellow German Willi Weber. Schumacher was to receive a free drive in his WTS team for three years, Weber in return was reported to receive 20% of all income Michael earned from motor races. The initial agreement was to last 10 years, however it was later extended for a further several years. On his return to F1 racing in 2010, Michael’s former press officer, Sabine Kehm, became his manager.

Willi Weber (right) and Corinna Schumacher (left)

His Helmet…

Michael explained how his helmet’s paint scheme came about: “From the area of the visor you see the traditional German black-red-gold. I chose the colours years ago with a friend of mine and I changed it only slightly, mostly to include sponsor decals. The blue circle with the white stars on the top was his idea. After joining Ferrari I added the prancing horse on the back. “

From the European GP in 2000 on, Michael raced with a modified helmet design. The blue circle on the top was from then painted light red. The white Marlboro stripe around the top was also then red. The change was made to prevent confusion between himself and his then teammate Rubens Barrichello, whose design was confusingly similar.

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Michael Schumacher

• Born January 3 , 1969 · Hürth, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
• The Red Baron
• Height 5′ 8½″ (1.74 m)
• Michael Schumacher is a German retired racing driver. He is a seven-time Formula One World Champion and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time. He was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year twice. Schumacher holds many of Formula One's driver records, including most championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions and most races won in a single season - 13 in 2004 (the last of these records was equalled by fellow German Sebastian Vettel nine years later). In 2002, he became the only driver in Formula One history to finish in the top three in every race of a season and then also broke the record for most consecutive podium finishes. According to the official Formula One website, he is "statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen". - IMDb Mini Biography By: Dibyayan Chakravorty
• Spouse Corinna Schumacher (August 1, 1995 - present) (2 children)
• Children Mick Schumacher Gina-Maria Schumacher
• Relatives Ralf Schumacher (Sibling) David Schumacher (Niece or Nephew)
• Suffered a serious head injury in December 2013 when skiing off-piste in the French Alps resort of Meribel and hit rocks at speed. After being taken to hospital in Grenoble, France, he underwent two operations to remove blood clots from his brain, after which he was put into a medically induced coma to try to reduce swelling. Schumacher spent six months in a coma, before regaining consciousness and was transferred to a hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland in June 2014. In September 2014 he was taken back to his home near Lake Geneva for lengthy rehabilitation. A statement to the press said: 'Henceforth, Michael's rehabilitation will take place at his home. 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'.
• Was the second highest paid athlete in the world, behind Tiger Woods .
• Holds the Formula 1 records for most drivers championships, Grand Prix victories, fastest laps, pole positions and races won in a single season.
• Has gone on record to say that despite the number of records he holds in Formula One, Ayrton Senna is the greatest driver in the history of the sport. Coincidentally, Schumacher was immediately behind Senna at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix when Senna fatally crashed. This moment has haunted Schumacher for years and resulted in an on camera breakdown when asked at the post-race press conference about how much equalling Senna's record of 41 GP victories (for the second most career victories in Formula 1) meant after he won the 2000 Italian Grand Prix.
• Formula One racing driver, who raced for Jordan (1991 - 1GP), Benetton (1991-1995), Ferrari (1996-2006), and Mercedes (2010-2012). Schumacher has taken 91 Grand Prix victories, 68 pole positions, 77 fastest laps, and 7 Driver's World Championships from 307 Grand Prix starts.
• I feel like a kid with a new toy ... a child before Christmas.
• Commenting about his youthful look before his comeback in 2010: Somehow I have managed to delay looking old. In reality I have good genes.

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RACING DRIVER

Michael schumacher.

1969 - Today

Michael Schumacher (German: [ˈmɪçaːʔeːl ˈʃuːmaxɐ] ; born 3 January 1969) is a German former racing driver who competed in Formula One for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes. Schumacher has a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Lewis Hamilton); at the time of his retirement from the sport in 2012, he also held the records for the most wins (91), pole positions (68), and podium finishes (155)—which have since been broken by Hamilton—while he maintains the record for consecutive Drivers' Championships and number of total fastest laps (77), among others. Born to working-class parents, Schumacher started his racing career in karting . Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Michael Schumacher has received more than 30,253,113 page views. His biography is available in 123 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 112 in 2019) . Michael Schumacher is the 3rd most popular racing driver (up from 5th in 2019) , the 126th most popular biography from Germany (up from 205th in 2019) and the most popular German Racing Driver .

Michael Schumacher is a German racing driver who is most famous for winning seven Formula One World Championships.

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Among racing drivers.

Among racing drivers , Michael Schumacher ranks 3 out of 888 .  Before him are Niki Lauda and Enzo Ferrari . After him are Ayrton Senna , Juan Manuel Fangio , James Hunt , Ken Miles , Alain Prost , Emerson Fittipaldi , Giuseppe Farina , Carroll Shelby , and Alberto Ascari .

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1898 - 1988

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1960 - 1994

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1911 - 1995

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Emerson Fittipaldi

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Giuseppe Farina

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Carroll Shelby

1923 - 2012

Alberto Ascari

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1969 , Michael Schumacher ranks 1 .  After him are Jennifer Lopez , Cate Blanchett , Jennifer Aniston , Gwen Stefani , Oliver Kahn , Edward Norton , Gabriel Batistuta , Matthew McConaughey , Gerard Butler , Catherine Zeta-Jones , and Javier Bardem .

Others Born in 1969

Jennifer Lopez

Cate Blanchett

Jennifer Aniston

Gwen Stefani

Oliver Kahn

Edward Norton

Gabriel Batistuta

Matthew McConaughey

Gerard Butler

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Javier Bardem

Among people born in Germany , Michael Schumacher ranks 126 out of 6,142 .  Before him are Gerd von Rundstedt (1875) , Clara Zetkin (1857) , George I of Great Britain (1660) , Georg Philipp Telemann (1681) , Heinrich Böll (1917) , and Augustus II the Strong (1670) . After him are Rudolf Höss (1901) , Queen Silvia of Sweden (1943) , Leopold I of Belgium (1790) , Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767) , Novalis (1772) , and Bruce Willis (1955) .

Others born in Germany

Gerd von Rundstedt

1875 - 1953

Clara Zetkin

1857 - 1933

George I of Great Britain

1660 - 1727

Georg Philipp Telemann

1681 - 1767

Heinrich Böll

1917 - 1985

Augustus II the Strong

1670 - 1733

Rudolf Höss

1901 - 1947

Queen Silvia of Sweden

1943 - Present

Leopold I of Belgium

1790 - 1865

Wilhelm von Humboldt

1767 - 1835

1772 - 1801

Bruce Willis

Among racing drivers in germany.

Among racing drivers born in Germany , Michael Schumacher ranks 1 .  After him are Jochen Rindt (1942) , Wolfgang von Trips (1928) , Rudolf Caracciola (1901) , Sebastian Vettel (1987) , Walter Röhrl (1947) , Jochen Mass (1946) , Ralf Schumacher (1975) , Nico Rosberg (1985) , Rolf Stommelen (1943) , Heinz-Harald Frentzen (1967) , and Hans Herrmann (1928) .

German born Racing Drivers

Jochen Rindt

1942 - 1970

Wolfgang von Trips

1928 - 1961

Rudolf Caracciola

1901 - 1959

Sebastian Vettel

1987 - Present

Walter Röhrl

1947 - Present

Jochen Mass

Ralf Schumacher

1975 - Present

Nico Rosberg

1985 - Present

Rolf Stommelen

1943 - 1983

Heinz-Harald Frentzen

1967 - Present

Hans Herrmann

1928 - Present

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Michael Schumacher - Biography

The sports star's incredible racing career was celebrated in the 2021 netflix documentary, schumacher.

While he barely flinched at hurtling towards hairpin bends at break-neck speed, word is that seven-times World Formula One Champion Michael Schumacher was so overwhelmed at the birth of his first child, daughter Gina Maria, he thought he would faint.

Michael, who retired in 2012, is regarded as one of the most talented drivers of all time. Rival Jacques Villeneuve summed up Michael's dominance on the track after losing to him at the Spanish Grand Prix in 1996: "He has set an amazing standard which we all have to try to follow. I cannot imagine a harder challenge." 

Skiing accident

The sport was aghast in December 2013 when he fell while skiing in the French Alps and hit his head on a rock. The champion was put in a medically induced coma to allow his body to recover.

Michael had a reputation as a consistently ruthless and courageous driver, who would stop at nothing to win. The sportsman has always been fuelled by burning ambition. "It is true my life is geared to winning. It has always been so," he once admitted.

Born in 1969 in a village near Cologne, Germany, the young prodigy grew up racing. Aged just four he was notching up circuits at the go-kart track near his family home, and by the time he was 18 he was European Champion. But despite his early introduction to the sport, he wasn't forced into it by his parents. "My overriding memory of childhood is having the freedom to decide which way to go in life and having my parents' support," he told HELLO! .

Michael made his Formula One debut in 1991, and just 12 months later had won his first Grand Prix, driving for the Benetton team. In his first full season he finished third in the championship and in the years to come, was to establish himself firmly at the top of the Formula One tree, winning seven World titles - five in a row at the start of the Millennium. In 1995, he left Benetton and signed a multi-million deal with Ferrari which, before their new top driver's arrival, had not scooped a championship title in 21 years. Kitted out in the team's daredevil red, Michael brought back glamour and fame to the success-starved legendary Italian brand. 

Marriage and family life

Michael met his wife Corinna through a former teammate, Heinz Harald Frentzen, who was her ' boyfriend at the time. When that relationship came to an end, Michael seized his opportunity and five years later he and Corinna were married in August 1995. They went on to have Gina in 1997 and Mick, who arrived two years later. Besieged by constant media attention and the pressures of fame, "Schuey" took refuge in his family. He eschewed the jet-set life for one of tranquillity in his home in the Swiss countryside, near Lake Geneva. Away from the track, he is a devoted family man. His little girl was particularly concerned when the race ace broke his leg in an accident at the British Grand Prix in 1999. "Granddaddy, we need to buy some new brakes for my daddy," she informed Michael's dad. 

As well as risks, the racing brought great wealth. Formula One's fastest acquired a £510-million fortune. At the end of the 2006 season, the titan of the track retired - only to come back a few years later. When he eventually quit the sport for good, the billionaire sportsman threw himself into charity projects, supporting UNESCO, building schools in Senegal and Sarajevo, and supporting homeless children in Peru. It is estimated that his charitable donations total more than $50 million. The need for speed was always there, however, and he replaced competing with sports such as horseriding and motorcycling. Ironically at the time of the skiing accident that posed the greatest challenge of his life, he was only travelling 10 mph.

Michael's wife Corinna keeps her husband's recovery under wraps, and very rarely speaks about his condition publicly. For a Netflix documentary, Schumacher, back in 2021, she explained: "I just felt that he is somebody special. I think that he is simply very strong mentally. Extremely strong. He still shows me how strong he is every day… I miss Michael every day. But it's not just me who misses him. It's the children, the family, his father, everyone around him. Everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here - different, but here."

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Michael Schumacher

Biografie von michael schumacher, demnächst im tv:, filmografie - filme mit michael schumacher, in aller freundschaft, in aller freundschaft - die jungen ärzte, der staatsanwalt, familie dr. kleist, schloss einstein, großstadtrevier, friesland - krabbenkrieg, der mordanschlag, der fall barschel, der teufel mit den drei goldenen haaren, im alleingang - die stunde der krähen, türkisch für anfänger (fernsehserie), finnischer tango, alphateam - die lebensretter im op.