Michael Schumacher’s former teammate on the German’s support staff: “They would do anything for him, and I mean anything”

According to his former teammate Johnny Herbert, the secret to Michael Schumacher's success was his ability to have the right people around him. Schumacher teamed up with Johnny Herbert at Benetton in 1995 when he won his second world title.

After the 1995 season, Michael moved to Ferrari with the goal of bringing the team back to glory. Looking back at what made Michael Schumacher great, Johnny Herbert admitted that he did not always see eye to eye with the German driver.

Having said that, Michael's ability to have the right people around him was what made him so successful. Especially since those people would go to any lengths for him. Schumacher worked with Rory Byrne and Ross Brawn at Benetton, who later joined Ferrari after the German driver moved to the Prancing Horse.

Herbert told Ice36:

"We didn’t always see eye-to-eye. He was ruthless. But that is why he achieved what he achieved. He had a way that he wanted to go about his racing. He was fortunate that he got the right people around him with Flavio Briatore, Ross Brawn to Rory Byrne, and he took those people to Ferrari."

The British former driver added:

“I remember Ross saying Michael was the best driver he had ever worked with. Because of that they would do anything for him. And I mean anything. Because of that, Michael gets that motivation, they get the motivation back because he gives it back, and together they deliver. Then it becomes a cycle of success.”

Herbert picks Barcelona 1996 as Michael Schumacher's greatest win

According to Johnny Herbert, Michael Schumacher's greatest win was his first triumph with Ferrari in Barcelona in 1996. Schumacher won the race in a car that was nowhere close to the front in torrential rain and made it look easy. Talking about the race and the German legend, Herbert said:

“I still remember what for me was his standout performance in the Ferrari, in the wet in Barcelona in 1996. It was his first victory for Ferrari. It was a stunning drive in torrential rain and why he was thereafter called the ‘Regenmeister’, the Rainmaster. It was an unbelievable drive. Yes, there was a darker side to him too, but at the end of the day you can’t deny anything he did.”

Schumacher retired at the end of the 2012 F1 season as the most accomplished driver in the sport's history.