Schumacher, Michael (1969- )

German racing driver. He has won a record number of Formula 1 drivers' titles. He began his career in the Mercedes-Benz junior team; he joined the Jordan Formula 1 team in 1991, but moved to Benetton almost immediately. He won his first Grand Prix in Belgium in 1992. Hailed by many as a gifted ‘natural’ driver, he joined Ferrari at the end of the 1995 season. In October 2000, he won the first Drivers' Championship for Ferrari since 1979. On 2 September 2001, he won the Belgium Grand Prix for a fifth time, thereby overtaking Alain Prost's record of 51 Grand Prix wins. He won the World Drivers' Championship title for a sixth time in 2003, breaking Juan Manuel Fangio's record, and won his seventh title the following year. In October 2004 he won a record 13th race in a single season. His 2004 season points total of 148 was also a new record.

Career highlights

World Drivers' champion

Total Grand Prix raced

Grand Prix wins

Total Grand Prix points

The governing body of Formula 1, the FIA, stripped Schumacher of his second place in the 1997 World Drivers' Championship for attempting to ram Jacques Villeneuve off the track in the European Grand Prix at Jerez, Spain. In May 1999, he broke the record for the most number of Grand Prix wins by a Ferrari driver. However, in July of the same year, his hopes of winning the 1999 World Drivers' Championship were dashed when he broke a leg during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.