Michael Schumacher: The best there ever was

As a kid, everyone has his own fantasy for things that are fastest or largest on earth, to which I was no exception. Back in my childhood, speed intimidated me more than size. Consequently, it was imbibed in my mind, through discussions with my fellow peers and anyone else, that F1 idolized the pinnacle of speed and power. To add to this, as I grew up hearing and reading this name “Schumacher” flashing all over the news related to F1, created a God like stature for him.

Michael Schumacher was born January 3, 1969 in Hurth, Germany. Though he didn’t come from a wealthy family background, his zeal and obsession for the sport helped overcome all the intricacies in his path. As a driver he matured rapidly, acing everything that came his way. Once he made his Formula One debut back in 1991 with the Jordan team, there was no looking back for the champion, as he went on to become the greatest driver the sport has ever seen, winning the world title an incredible seven times.

Michael’s legacy stands out strikingly as you start viewing his career stats. Schumacher holds multiple records in Formula One, including most drivers’ championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored and most races won in a single season. The best one of course being the first and only Formula One driver to have an entire season of podium finishes (2002).

In the initial phase of his career, after finishing third in the Mexican GP in the 1992 season, Michael was still searching for his first victory at the highest level in racing. He went on to take his first ever win in the same season at the Belgian GP, where he shrugged off the wet conditions in some style. The way he dealt with the track and eventually emerged triumphant, reached out to all pundits in the F1 fraternity. He snatched his first win for Ferrari at the Spanish GP in the wet, demonstrating an uncharacteristicly flamboyant over-steering style. The legendary Stirling Moss later said,

“It was not a race. It was a demonstration of brilliance.”

Michael’s performances in adverse conditions earned him the unofficial title of “The Rain Master”.

Throughout his racing career, Michael Schumacher offered his fans a spectacular demonstration of his flambuoyant skills, right from driving at breakneck pace to serene control. With the temperatures touching the higher end of 900 degrees Celsius range, for a F1 car, just a foot or two behind the driver’s seat, a cool head on composed shoulders is indispensable for any driver. His ice cool eye for stress and a stable approach displayed just the same. He stamped his authority on every single F1 circuit in the world with such real force that the imprints of the same are still visible and will remain so for years to come.

The frequently changing nature of Formula One rules were never a cause of concern for the star. In the 2003 season, the FIA introduced a host of new rules disallowing the engineers to remap the parameters using telemetry and traction control, phasing out the electronic assistance to any driver. While all the F1 teams were belligerent about the changes, Schumacher stood firm and believed that, “A good team is a good team whatever the rules.” The way he emphatically won his unprecedented seventh World Championship in the consequent year proved that a good driver is unaffected by the nature of F1 rules.

For Ferrari, signing up Michael from Benetton team proved to be one of the most successful management decisions of all time. He was realistic, accepting that there would not be drastic changes in the fortunes of the team that had not won more than 3 Grand Prix from the period 1991 to 1995. The fortunes of the Italian team started looking bright within the first few seasons, with a lot more unparalleled achievements in store for them in the future. The partnership with Schumacher easily stands out as the golden period for the Ferrari team, when they won 6 consecutive Constructor’s titles and 5 Drivers’ Championships title with him. At the end of the 2006 season, Michael Schumacher ended his dream run with Ferrari following a series poor performances. Yet, no one can deny the fact that he is, without doubt, the saviour for Ferrari, as his exceptional knack of putting the car ahead on the field got the lagging Italian racing team back from the doldrums.

More than just his driving proficiency, he possesses the will and courage to deal with the worst in life. Michael suffered the biggest crash of his Formula One career in 1999 at the Silverstone race, leaving him with a broken leg and bruises on his chest. The way he came back – strong and dogged, recovering within three months, and winning a whopping 4 titles in the subsequent seasons – clearly portrayed his fighting spirit to the world. At the age of 41, the veteran made a second stint coming out of retirement, which was not so successful for him. Although, it gave us a hint of his never say die attitude and passion for the sport. He might not have been winning, but he was at least philosophical.

The year 2012 saw another young and talented German in Sebastien Vettel become the Formula One World Champion for a third time – a record as he is the youngest to do so. During an interview, he stated how he adored Michael Schumacher and aspired to be him. Vettel said,

“He was a true inspiration back then, for me and for many other kids. He was our hero.”

The way the two interacted during a recent meet clearly showed a sublime bond of connect between the World Champions and team mates in the annual Race of Champions event, which they won for the sixth consecutive year now.

Off the track, Schumacher is an ambassador for UNESCO and a spokesman for driver safety. He has been involved in numerous humanitarian efforts throughout his life. He has donated at least $50 million to third world causes, including $10 million for aid after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. All this tells us a lot about his other side, making him an even better human rather than just a good sportsman.

When asked about how he felt about his F1 career, he replied “All this is a loved dream that I live.” On his retirement, former F1 greats such as Niki Lauda and David Coulthard hailed Schumacher as,

“The greatest all round racing driver in the history of Formula One.”

To end with, I would like to add these inspirational excerpts from the documentary Michael Schumacher: The Red Baron, the way he was later known due to his flourishing love affair with the bright red Ferrari.

“Take a few drops of determination. Add ambition and a fearless instinct, tempered with calm coolness and controlled high-speed reactions. Stir in a generous amount of natural driving ability that has matured from an early age. Combine precision with sheer determination; include a love for sports and speed. Add winning talent and a g force defying level of fitness. Allow all this to develop in the field. Then garnish with boyish good looks, generosity and popularity. Finally serve with charm and poise then you will have a champion… no less a seven-time World Champion.”