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Michael
Schumacher
GERMANY
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7 TIMES World
Champion: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1995, 1994
91 GP wins, 57 wins with Ferrari, 68 poles
(signed to Ferrari till end of 2006)
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| 1969 |
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| 1988 |
- wins German Kart championship
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| 1989 |
- races German Formula 3; 3rd overall
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| 1990 |
- wins German Formula 3 championship
- wins Formula 3 at Macao
- wins Formula 3 at Fuji Japan
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| 1991 |
- just 1 race with Formula 3000; came 2nd
- F1 debut at Belgian GP with Jordan
- joins Benetton
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| 1992 |
- first F1 win at Belgium GP
- 8 podiums
- 3rd overall
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| 1993 |
- wins Portugal GP
- 4th overall
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| 1994 |
- wins first World Championship (Benetton/Ford)
- YOUNGEST F1 CHAMPION at age 25 years and 8 months
- 92 points
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| 1995 |
- wins 2nd World Championship (Benetton/Renault)
- 102 points
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| 1996 |
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| 1997 |
- 2nd year
with Ferrari
- 5 wins
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| 1998 |
- 3rd year with Ferrari
- 6 wins
- runner-up in the championship to Hakkinen
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| 1999 |
- 4th year with Ferrari
- 2 wins
- 5th overall; misses 6 rounds due to leg injury
- becomes the number 1 Ferrari driver with 16 GP wins (ahead
of Niki Lauda with 15 wins)
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| 2000 |
- 5th year with Ferrari
- wins his 3rd World Championship (Ferrari)
- 108 points
- 9 poles; 9 wins
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| 2001 |
- 6th year with Ferrari
- 9 wins; 11 poles; 123 points
- wins his 4th World Championship (Ferrari)
- all time record of 52 GP wins
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| 2002 |
- 7th year with Ferrari
- record 11 WINS; record 144 points at season end
- finished every race on the podium
- wins his 5th World Championship (Ferrari) matching Juan
Fangio's record
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| 2003 |
- 8th year with Ferrari
- pole at season opener under the new 1 flying lap qualifying
format (Australian GP)
- extends Ferrari contract till end of 1996
- wins record 6th World Championship (Ferrari) surpassing
Juan Fangio's record
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| 2004 |
- 9th year with Ferrari
- wins first 5 races equalling Nigel Mansell's record
set in 1992
- record 7th Canadian GP win; he became the first
driver in history to win the same GP 7 times
- record 12th win in 1 season (out of 13 races) @
Hungarian GP
- *** wins record 7th World Championship
***
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| 2005 |
- 10th year with Ferrari
- donates £5.3m to the
victims of the Asian tsunami
- 1 win (US GP)
- finish 3rd overall
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| 2006 |
- 11th year with Ferrari
- record 66th pole passing the
previous record of 65 poles by Ayrton Senna
- first driver to win 8 times
at the same GP (French GP)
- *** after his 90th GP win
(Italian GP, Sept 10) announced retirement ***
SCHUMACHER: "I
feel this is the right moment to make it known that this is
my last race at Monza; at the end of this year I decided,
with the team that I am going to resign from racing. It's
been an exceptional time that motorsport has given me. I loved
every moment both the good and the bad ... I should thank
my family, my dad, my passed away mum, my wife and my kids,
who at all times supported me. Without their support and strength
to survive in this sport, it would have been impossible …
Now I just want to concentrate on these last three races and
hope that we can finish it in style."
- M SCHUMACHER, SEP 10, 2006:
"Words are not enough and whatever I could
say now will never fully express how much I love this fascinating
world of motor sport and all it has given me ... From go-karting
to Formula 1, I have lived through moments that I will never
forget. I am profoundly grateful for everything I have had.
I want to thank everyone who has accompanied me, supported
and inspired me, right back to the days of my childhood. Above
all, a special thanks goes to Corinna and our two children,
who have given me the strength to do what I have done. All
these years in Formula 1 have been amazing, especially those
spent alongside my friends in the Scuderia."
- Niki Lauda (F1
Champion): "If the best guy in the world retires
it is certainly a sad day. You can say whatever you want,
he won seven world championships and he might win another
one. There is nobody like him in the world, he is unique."
- Bernie Ecclestone
(F1): "People have said to me that F1 is boring
because he wins everything. So presumably when he's not here,
people will be happy. But we'll miss him, because he is a
superstar."
- Max Mosley (FIA):
"Any top driver when he leaves will be missed. Michael's
probably the furthest up the scale of anyone because he's
got an unbeaten record. It won't damage F1 in any way but
I think all of us who follow it will miss him clearly because
he is an exceptional driver."
- Jean Todt, (Ferrari):
"Michael has been the author of a unique chapter in the
history of Formula One and he is a great friend."
- Stirling Moss:
"He's done some fantastic drives, he's made some stupid
mistakes. He's not a great in my mind like Fangio, but is
one of the most talented drivers."
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