"Whenever Michael Schumacher was in the car, everybody knew the problem was not the driver" - When F1 veteran explained the impact of the German

Former F1 driver Eddie Irvine once said that when Michael Schumacher stepped into the car during his prime days, nobody questioned his ability to drive, and pinned the blame for any mishap on on the car since the German driver was just that good. Irvine added that Schumacher's ability to bring people together was something he appreciated.

Michael Schumacher remains one of the most legendary names in F1. He was the first driver to win a record seven drivers' championships before Lewis Hamilton equaled his record. In his prime, the German driver was a passionate driver. Hamilton eventually replaced him at Mercedes in 2013, leading to the legend's retirement.

In an interview in 2016, former F1 driver Eddie Irvine weighed in on Schumacher's impact as a driver. Irvine said (via Motorsport-Total),

"Michael just was an amazing talent for his ability that brought everybody together because whenever Michael was in the car, everybody knew the problem was not the driver. That's probably the case with Lewis [Hamilton], and [Fernando] Alonso, but even to a greater level, when you put Michael in the car, we knew the problem was not Michael" [3.30 ].

He went on to say that Michael attracted a lot of talented engineers and mechanics around the paddock as people had utmost trust in his ability to compete at the highest level if provided with a fast car. He also added,

"I think there's a lot said about Michael which is probably exaggerated. But his ability to drive a car was second-to-none."

In his two-decade-long career, Schumacher won seven championships and 91 races. He secured 155 podiums in total with 68 pole positions and 77 fastest laps. His extraordinary career began in 1991 with Jordan before he joined Ferrari and ended his career with Mercedes.

However, in 2013, the 55-year-old met with a tragic accident while skiing and sustained severe head injuries. He hasn't been seen in public ever since. His wife, Corinna, and children, Gina and Mick, have maintained secrecy around the driver's health in order to preserve his dignity.

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Michael Schumacher to become a grandfather soon

Awarding of the State Prize to Michael Schumacher (Image Source: Getty)

In positive news ahead of New Year, Michael Schumacher is set to become a grandfather as his daughter Gina is expecting a baby girl with husband Iain Bethke. The couple got married at the German driver's vacation home in Spain in September this year. Some reports suggested that Michael Schumacher attended the wedding in person.

Michael and Corinna have two children, Gina and Mick. The 25-year-old son is also a racing driver. He made his F1 debut with Haas, exiting the outfit after two seasons. Mick also served as a reserve driver for Mercedes. However, that stint came to an end with the conclusion of the 2024 F1 season.