Name |
Michael Schumacher |
Height |
5' 8½" |
Naionality |
Germon |
Date of Birth |
3 January 1969, |
Place of Birth |
Hürth Hermülheim, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany |
Famous for |
|
Michael Schumacher (pronounced /mɪçaeːl ʃuːmaxɐ (help•info)/, born January 3, 1969, in Hürth Hermülheim, Germany)[1] is a former Formula One driver, and seven-time world champion. According to the official Formula One website, he is "statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen".[2] He is the first German to win the Formula One World championship[3] and is credited with popularising Formula One in Germany.[4] In a 2006 FIA survey, Michael Schumacher was voted the most popular driver among Formula One fans.[5]
After winning two championships with Benetton, Schumacher moved to the Ferrari in 1996 and won five consecutive drivers' titles with them. Schumacher currently holds nearly every record in Formula One, including most drivers' championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored and most races won in a single season. His driving sometimes created controversy. He has twice been involved in collisions that determined the outcome of the world championship, most notably his disqualification from the 1997 championship for causing a collision with Jacques Villeneuve.[6]
Off the track, Schumacher is an ambassador for UNESCO and a spokesman for driver safety. He has been involved in numerous humanitarian efforts throughout his life.[7] He is the older brother of current Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher.
On September 10, 2006, Schumacher announced his retirement as a driver.[8] Schumacher currently assists Scuderia Ferrari CEO Jean Todt for the 2007 Formula One Season.