5 F1 drivers ft. Michael Schumacher who made remarkable comebacks from injuries

F1 has always been a dangerous sport as drivers and teams push the boundaries of science and technology to make their cars faster every year. But from time to time, it has caught out even the best in the world as they have gotten severely injured while trying to compete at the pinnacle of motorsports.

Nevertheless, there have also been multiple jaw-dropping comebacks in F1 that set drivers apart from normal people. Here is a list of five such drivers who made an incredible return to the sport after injury.

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Five amazing comeback stories in F1

#1 Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher is one of the greatest in the sport's history given his overall success and multiple records. But he faced a major challenge when he got injured at the 1999 British GP.

The German driver could only last 40 seconds in the race and crashed at the Stowe corner after his brakes failed. The damage caused a fracture in his right leg.

Remarkably, Schumacher was back in his Ferrari after missing just six races. In his comeback race at the Malaysian GP, he took pole position almost a second ahead of his teammate Eddie Irvine in P2 to remind everyone of his prowess.

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#2 Niki Lauda

Niki Lauda found himself battling for his life after his car caught fire at the 1976 German Grand Prix in Nurburgring.

While the Ferrari driver was in the hospital recovering from his injuries including burns, he saw his championship lead disappear as McLaren driver and rival James Hunt went to the top.

In a miraculous display of tenacity, the Austrian was back for the Italian GP four races later and managed to finish the race in P4 after Hunt retired -- a comeback that remains one of the greatest moments in F1 history.

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#3 Felipe Massa

In one of the freak accidents in the sport, Felipe Massa fractured his skull as a loose nut from Rubens Barrichello's rear suspension knocked him unconscious at the 2009 F1 Hungarian GP, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.

However, the Brazilian was back to his best and displayed incredible resolve as he qualified in P2 ahead of his new two-time world champion teammate Fernando Alonso at the season opener in Bahrain, and managed to finish in the same position.

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#4 Carlos Sainz

In one such story from the ongoing 2024 season, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz won the third race of his career at the Australian Grand Prix after missing out on the previous GP in Saudi Arabia.

Carlos Sainz of Spain and Ferrari celebrates with his team following the F1 Grand Prix of Australia - Getty Images

The Spanish driver had to sit out the race in Jeddah as he had to have an appendectomy, a surgery to remove his appendix, amid an appendicitis flare-up.

After a successful operation, the 29-year-old quickly rehabilitated and made his way back to the cockpit, putting up an outstanding performance to win his first race after surgery in Melbourne.

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#5 Mika Hakkinen

Two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen endured a career-threatening injury during the qualifying of the 1995 Australian GP in Adelaide when his rear tire was punctured, causing him to head straight into the single-layer tire wall at Turn 8.

Hakkinen became unconscious after hitting his head on the steering wheel. It was later revealed that his skull had been fractured, with damage sustained to his inner ear.

Hakkinen made a remarkable comeback in the 1996 season, smashing Michael Schumacher's time at Paul Ricard in France in a private test 87 days after his crash, despite not being able to move his facial muscles. He finished P5 in his return race in Melbourne.