Michael Schumacher Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
(CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher.
Personal
Birth date: January 3, 1969
Birth place: Hurth-Hermulheim, Germany
Birth name: Michael Schumacher
Father: Rolf Schumacher, go-kart track manager and bricklayer
Mother: Elisabeth Schumacher, go-kart track worker
Marriage: Corinna (Betsch) Schumacher (1995-present)
Children: Mick, 1999 and Gina-Maria, 1997
Other Facts
Winner of seven Formula One (F1) championships, in 1994-1995 and 2000-2004.
Has 91 Grand Prix wins and 155 podium finishes. Schumacher’s all-time Grand Prix win record was broken by Lewis Hamilton in October 2020.
Began driving go-karts at the age of 4 and won his first club championship at age 6.
His younger brother, Ralf Schumacher, is a former F1 driver. Ralf’s son David and Michael’s son, Mick, are also racecar drivers.
Timeline
1984 and 1985 – Winner of the German Junior Kart Championship.
1987 – Wins the German and European Kart Championships.
1990 – German Formula Three champion.
1991 – Makes his Formula One debut with the Jordan team, qualifying in seventh place at the Belgium Grand Prix.
1994 – Wins his first Formula One championship, with Benetton, in a controversial finish. At the title-deciding Australian Grand Prix, Schumacher wins by a point after colliding with challenger Damon Hill and causing both cars to retire.
1995 – Wins his second straight Formula One championship with Benetton.
1999 – Breaks his leg in a crash at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
2000 – Wins the Formula One championship with Ferrari. It is Ferrari’s first championship since 1979.
2000-2004 – Wins five straight F1 championships with Ferrari.
2006 – Announces his retirement.
2009 – Is diagnosed with a mild concussion after a motorbike crash in Spain.
2010 – Returns after three years of retirement, to race for Mercedes.
2012 – Retires for the second and final time.
December 29, 2013 – Suffers severe head trauma in a skiing accident at the French Alps resort of Meribel. He undergoes two operations and is put into a medically induced coma.
January 30, 2014 – Manager Sabine Kehm says that Schumacher’s sedation is being reduced to start the “waking up process.”
June 16, 2014 – Schumacher’s manager issues a statement saying Schumacher is no longer in a coma.
September 9, 2014 – Schumacher is released from a Swiss hospital and returns home, according to his spokeswoman.
November 14, 2014 – Schumacher is presented with the Bambi “Millennium” Award. He is honored with the award for his many years of service and inspiration to the German people. His manager accepts the award as Schumacher continues to recover from head injuries sustained in 2013.
January 3, 2019 – Schumacher celebrates his 50th birthday. An official Schumacher app is released to honor his accomplishments.
September 15, 2021 – The documentary “Schumacher” debuts. In the film, Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, says he is “different, but he’s here” as he continues his rehabilitation.
April 20, 2023 – The family of Schumacher is planning legal action after a German magazine published a fake artificial intelligence (AI) interview, a family spokesperson tells CNN.
December 2024 – Markus Fritsche, a former security guard of the Schumacher family, goes on trial in Germany following an alleged €15 million blackmail plot. Fritsche and two other men are accused of threatening to release hundreds of private images and videos of Schumacher after Fritsche was fired.
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