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was born on the third of January 1969 to Rolf and
Elisabeth Schumacher. The family move to the town of Kerpin-Manheim, a
working class town near Cologne, Germany. It was there that the family
became involved with karting. Michael, only four at the time was given
a kart powered by an old lawn-mower engine by his father. From so humble
a beginning was a World Champion's career launched. Karting became a family
obsession fed by the resourcefulness of the elder Schumacher and the spirit
of young Michael. Rolf Schumacher's mechanical ability led him to work
part-time repairing other go-karts at the local track. In 1980 he traveled
to Nivelles, Belgium for the World Karting Championship and saw a driver
that impressed him deeply, that driver was Ayrton Senna. Michael was soon
making a name for himself and in 1984 he won the German Junior Championship.
The European championship came his way in 1987. The path to car racing
started with Formula Ford or Formula Koenig as it was known in Germany.
To compete at this level Schumacher would need sponsors and lucky for
him several sponsors including Jurgen Dik had noticed the young German.
His first full year competing in the series saw him win nine out of ten
rounds. Willie Weber, his future manager, was running his own Formula
Three team and gave Michael a test in one of his cars. After seven or
eight laps he was setting times 1 1/2 seconds faster than Webber's regular
driver. Schumacher's first year in Formula Three saw him competing against
future Formula 1 drivers, Karl Wendlinger and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Wendlinger
eventually nosed out his compatriots for the title. The next year was
all Schumacher. Instead of graduating to Formula 3000 Webber placed his
young protégé in the Mercedes junior team driving a sports
car for Sauber along with his former Formula Three rivals. Under
the watchful eyes of Jochen Neerspasch and Jochen Mass he was schooled
in the art of race car driving. During this period Schumacher learned
much of what would later become his trademark smooth style. Opportunity
arrived when Jordan's Formula One drive Bertrand Gachot found himself
in jail and Schumacher was given a test with the Irish team. |
His
times were a revelation and he was quickly signed or so it was thought.
Jordan wanted to sign the young driver to a three year contract but Schumacher's
advisors urged caution. Eventually a temporary deal was done and the rest
as the saying goes is history. He made a brilliant debut at Spa in Belgium
in a Jordan, where he qualified 7th ahead of his more experienced teammate.
After some legal wrangling that was only recently resolved he finished
the year at Benetton.The next year he won his first race at Spa. Showing
signs of brilliance his time would come in the black year of 1994 when
he became World Champion. In 1995 after a hard and sometimes controversial
battle with Damon Hill he became the youngest double champion. 1996 saw
him move to Ferrari and marked the start of his biggest challenge. Due
to the tragic death of Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher stands preeminent
in Formula 1. The apparent lack of any real challengers to his supremacy
should not be held against this very talented driver. Is Michael Schumacher
one of the very best? Only time will tell just as assuredly there will
arise a contender to his throne.
