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Michael Schumacher (born January 3, 1969) is a very successful German Formula One driver.
He was born in Hürth (close to Cologne). His six year younger brother Ralf is also a Formula One driver. Married to Corinna, he has two children - Gina Marie and Mick.
He made his debut in 1991 as a replacement driver for the Jordan team. For the next race following his debut, he was signed on by Benetton-Ford. He won the Drivers' Championship title with Benetton in 1994 and 1995.
For 1996 he signed a contract with Ferrari and has became one of the most successful drivers in history. In the 2000 season he won the first Drivers' title for Ferrari since 1979. Next year, on the way to his fourth title, he broke Alain Prost's record for the most wins. In a dominant 2002, he easily took his fifth world title, equalling the record set by Juan Manuel Fangio. One year later, in 2003, he even topped this record by winning the F1 championship title for the sixth time in a very close season. Schumacher got the 2004 championship off to a great start with back to back victories in Australian Grand Prix and Malaysian Grand Prix
Since the 1994 death of Ayrton Senna, Schumacher has been widely regarded as the fastest driver in Formula 1. However, his reputation in his early days in Formula One was decidedly chequered. His clear skill was combined with a tendency to crash into his rivals, in a manner viewed by many (but by no means all) observers as deliberate attempts to take them out of the race - an act widely regarded in Formula One as not only bad sportsmanship but incredibly dangerous in fragile, super-fast open wheelers. The most infamous examples were in 1994, where his crash with Damon Hill in the last race of the year in Adelaide ensured his championship win, and 1997 where he swerved into the path of Jacques Villeneuve.
In more recent years, however, his success with Ferrari (which brought to an end a success drought), moderation of his on-track tactics, and a more relaxed public persona have rehabilitated Schumacher's image for many fans of the sport.
Award
- World Champion: 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
- Grand prix starts: 193 (125 with Ferrari)
- Pole positions: 55
- Fastest laps: 56
- Podiums with Ferrari: 77 (51 wins)
- First GP: Belgium 1991
- First podium: Mexico 1992
- First win: Belgium 1992
- First pole: Monaco 1994
- Car number: 1