Rainmeister Michael ‘Schumi’ Schumacher’s best, glorious moments

How does one start a tribute to Michael Schumacher without mentioning the record seven world championships, 91 wins, 68 poles, 1,560 points and most wins (13) in a season (2004) ? While the Ed has extensively discussed The Curious Case of Michael Schumacher we thought it only fitting that we take a trip down memory lane and relish those glorious ‘Schumi’ moments that have won him unwavering fans all over the globe.

Knockout 90s : With Benetton & Ferrari

Stepping into a Team 7UP Jordan car in 1991 at Spa, and stepping out into a Benetton at Monza having caught the eye of Benetton boss Flavio Briatore, Michael Schumacher began scripting his chapter in the annals of Formula 1. His first win was in 1992 at Spa, in the Benetton powered by a Ford V8, beating the far superior Williams’ cars of Nigel Mansell and Ricardo Patrese which were powered by the exemplary Renault V10s.

Schumacher’s legendary driving stints might be many but none so dear to a fan as the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona in 1994. Oh yes, that GP where the Benetton refused to change from fifth and Schumi drove a good part of race stuck in fifth gear. Of course it is still debated whether he had first gear without which some say it would have been impossible to exit from pits.

The other biggest win in 1994 was at Monaco where Schumacher won with a massive lead of 37.278 seconds over Martin Brundle. The traffic makes for some exciting racing.

Rainmeister

Who can forget the 1995 Belgian GP? Starting from 16th, Schumacher goes on to win the race! There’s this most fantastic part of the race where the rain starts falling, Damon Hill swaps to wet weather tyres, Schumi decides to stay on slicks and watch the most entertaining race unfold with Hill trying his best to overtake Schumacher in vain!

1996 saw Schumacher perform another incredible feat in his first season at Ferrari by winning in a Ferrari which, to quote my Ed ‘was firing on anything between 7 and 9 cylinders out of the ten, in the rain at Barcelona and won himself the tag of Rainmeister’.

1997 saw another masterclass in driving in the wet. Schumacher started 2nd held his place and finished the race first, nearly 53.306 seconds ahead of Barrichello.

The Hungarian Grand Prix of 1998 saw Schumi at his fiercest best. Ross Brawn decided the only way to win the race was to bring in Schumacher early into the pits. Catching on to the strategy, Ron Dennis brought in then race leader Mika Hakkinen into the pits. By the time Hakkinen pulled out, Schumacher was in the lead already. Trouble was, the McLarens of Hakkinen and Coulthard could run to the end of the race, but Schumacher would have to pit. Schumi put in lap after consistent lap pulling ahead of the tailing McLaren duo enough to pit once more and pull out 5 seconds ahead of the McLarens behind him!

Newey vs Schuey

To quote from the Ed’s article again, ‘Michael Schumacher won his first world championship in an unfancied Benetton car that was running a Ford V8 engine while the all conquering Williams cars were running Renault’s exemplary V10 units. His second world championship had the Renault unit behind him but the definitely inferior Benetton chassis under him. Yet he won again. So the world said Formula1 was a Newey vs Schuey contest, where the genius of a car designer was pitted against the genius of a car driver. The driver triumphed.’