Michael Schumacher

**Michael Schumacher** is a German former racing driver who competed in Formula 1.5 for Jordan, Benetton and, Mercedes.

In December 2013, Schumacher suffered a severe brain injury in a skiing accident. He was placed in a medically induced coma until June 2014. He left the hospital in Grenoble for further rehabilitation at the Lausanne University Hospital, before being relocated to his home to receive medical treatment and rehabilitation privately in September 2014.

## Personal Life

In August 1995, Michael married Corinna Betsch. They have two children, a daughter Gina-Maria (born 20 February 1997) and a son, Mick (born 22 March 1999). Schumacher has always been very protective of his private life and is known to dislike the celebrity spotlight. From late 1991 until May 1996, Schumacher resided in Monaco. The family moved to a newly built mansion near Gland, Switzerland in 2007, covering an area of 650-square-metre (7,000 sq ft) with a private beach on Lake Geneva and featuring an underground garage and petrol station, with a vintage Shell fuel pump. Schumacher and his wife own horse ranches in Texas and Switzerland. Schumacher's younger brother Ralf, his son Mick, his nephew David and step-brother Sebastian Stahl have also been racing drivers.

## F1.5 History

### Jordan (1991)

Schumacher made his Formula 1.5 debut with the Irish Jordan-Ford team at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, driving car number 32 as a replacement for the imprisoned Bertrand Gachot. Schumacher, still a contracted Mercedes driver, was signed by Eddie Jordan after Mercedes paid Jordan $150,000 for his debut.

The week before the race, Schumacher impressed Jordan designer Gary Anderson and team manager Trevor Foster during a test drive at Silverstone. Schumacher's manager Weber assured Jordan that Schumacher knew the challenging Spa-Francorchamps circuit well, although in fact he had only seen it as a spectator. During the race weekend, teammate Andrea de Cesaris was meant to show Schumacher the circuit, but was held up with contract negotiations. Schumacher then learned the track on his own, by cycling around the track on a fold-up bike he brought with him. He impressed the paddock by qualifying second. Schumacher out-qualified veteran de Cesaris. *Motor Sport* journalist Joe Saward reported that after qualifying "clumps of German journalists were talking about 'the best talent since Stefan Bellof'". Schumacher retired on the first lap of the race with clutch problems.

### Benetton (1991)

Following his Belgian Grand Prix debut, and despite an agreement in principle between Jordan and Schumacher's Mercedes management that would see the German race for the Irish team for the remainder of the season, Schumacher was engaged by Benetton-Ford for the next race. Jordan applied for an injunction in the British courts to prevent Schumacher driving for Benetton, but lost the case as they had not yet signed a final contract.

Schumacher took pole position in his first race for the team at the Italian Grand Prix, which he would go on to win. At the next race in Portugal, Schumacher finished on the podium again with a third place. Michael would once again take pole and the win in Spain to make it 3 podiums in his first three races for Benetton. He retired from the final two rounds.

Schumacher finished the season with 24 points to finish fourth in the championship. Schumacher was promoted to F1.0 after his successful 1991 campaign.

### Mercedes (2010-2012)

In December 2009, Schumacher announced his return to Formula 1.5 for the 2010 season alongside fellow German driver Nico Rosberg in the new Mercedes GP team.

#### 2010 Season

Schumacher finished second in the first race of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix, behind only teammate Rosberg. Mercedes upgraded their car for the Spanish Grand Prix where Schumacher took his pole since his return, which would translate into his first victory with the Mercedes team. He would repeat the result just two races later in Turkey. At the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Schumacher was involved in a major accident on the first lap, after Vitantonio Liuzzi's car collided with Schumacher's, barely missing his head.

Schumacher finished the season third in the championship with 234 points whilst teammate Rosberg was crowned champion.

#### 2011 Season

Both Mercedes drivers retired from the first race in Australia however Schumacher bounced back to finish third in the next round in Malaysia. His first win came in Spain, which was repeated two races later in a wet Canadian GP. Schumacher would go on to take another four wins over the season to finish second in the championship behind teammate Rosberg by 63 points.

#### 2012 Season

He was again partnered by Rosberg at Mercedes for the 2012 season.

Schumacher retired from the season's inaugural Australian Grand Prix after starting from pole. He qualified on pole again in the next round but fell to sixth by the chequered flag. In China, Schumacher started on the front row, but retired due to a loose wheel after a mechanic's error during a pit stop. The next round in Bahrain saw Schumacher take his first podium of the 2012 season to finish third. After causing a collision with Bruno Senna in Spain, Schumacher received a five-place grid penalty for the Monaco Grand Prix. He later retired from seventh place in the race. Schumacher won the European GP, which was followed by another win in the next race at the British GP after starting from pole. This would go on to be Schumachers last win in the sport.

Schumacher left the sport and the Mercedes team at the end of the year. He finished the season 7th with 170 points, compared to Rosberg who finished 2nd with 235 points.