Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher is a German former racing driver renowned for his unprecedented success in Formula One, where he competed from 1991 to 2006 and again from 2010 to 2012. Born in Hürth, North Rhine‑Westphalia, West Germany on 3 January 1969, he rose from a working‑class family, starting karting at age four in a pedal kart built from discarded parts. His early talent exploded when he won the European Karting Championship in 1987, progressed through Formula König and German Formula Three, and claimed the prestigious Macau Grand Prix in 1990 before making his Formula One debut with Jordan at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. Schumacher quickly caught the eye of Benetton, where he secured his first World Drivers’ Championship in 1994 and defended it in 1995, marking himself as the sport’s rising star. In 1996 he moved to Ferrari, a struggling team that he transformed into a dominant force, winning five consecutive titles from 2000 to 2004 and adding two more in 2005 and 2006, totaling a record‑tying seven championships. His career amassed 91 race victories, 155 podiums, 68 pole positions and 77 fastest laps, records that stood for many years and earned him nicknames like “Rain King” and “Schumi” for his skill in wet conditions and relentless work ethic.