Michael Schumacher

Seven-time World Champion and the most statistically successful driver in F1 history.

Michael Schumacher was born in Hürth, North Rhine-Westphalia in 1969 and became the most statistically successful Formula 1 driver of his era, winning 7 World Championship titles — 5 consecutively with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004. He drove for Jordan (1991, debut), Benetton (1991–1995) and Ferrari (1996–2006), with a comeback for Mercedes (2010–2012). He won 91 Grand Prix — a record that stood until Lewis Hamilton surpassed it in 2020. He set 68 pole positions — a record until Hamilton in 2017. He scored 155 podiums across 306 race starts, accumulating 1,566 career championship points. His 5 consecutive titles from 2000 to 2004 represent the most dominant sustained period in the sport's history — he won 13 of 18 races in 2004. He secured the 2002 championship with 6 races remaining. His technical feedback to engineers, tyre management and wet-weather ability were considered the defining qualities of his skill set beyond raw pace. He won his first 2 championships with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 before joining Ferrari — at the time a struggling team — and transforming them into the dominant force of the early 2000s. In December 2013 he suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident. Details of his condition have been kept private by his family since.

Aggressive, precise, exceptional in wet conditions

Most successful F1 driver of his era, revolutionized racing professionalism

• F1 World Champion 1994, 1995 (Benetton), 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 (Ferrari)
• 91 race wins (record until Hamilton 2020)
• 68 pole positions (record until Hamilton 2017)
• Ferrari's most successful driver era
• Youngest double champion at the time (1994–95)