Michael Schumacher turns 50

Widely regarded as the greatest Formula One driver ever, Michael Schumacher turned fifty years today. His record of championship titles made him earn this title as he is the only driver in history to win seven Formula One World Championship titles.

The Hürth-born racing driver is still continuing his rehabilitation following his horrendous accident back on 29 December 2013. During his familiy holiday, Schumacher suffered brain injuries while skiing, making him unable to walk or stand. Following his accident, he was placed in a medically induced coma for six months at a hospital in Grenoble. He was then relocated for further rehabilitation at the University of Lausanne. As of September 2014, he has been receiving medical treatment in his family house in Switzerland.

Schumacher’s family has been almost silent since and has rarely released any information on the condition of the seven-time world champion. However, today on his birthday, his family released a new application containing a virtual museum launched to remember and celebrate his victories, his records and his jubilation. On this special day, we dare to make a trip into his world, highlighting some interesting facts of his ultra-successful career.

Schumacher is not only the sole driver in history to win seven F1 World Championships, but he is the only driver to win five titles consecutively. Juan Manuel Fangio and Lewis Hamilton are the two other drivers who have reached the magical number of five world championship titles, but both of them titles’ runs included interruptions.

Next to his record of seven world chamipnship titles, he still holds the record of most Grand Prix wins (91), the most fastest laps (77) and most races won in a single season (13).
Schumacher entered 308 races which puts him to the fourth place on list of race starts. This rank is led by the Brazilian Rubens Barrichello who started in 326 races.

The 50-year-old is the record-holder when it comes to the most races ith a single constructor. The German entered 181 races with Ferrari between 1996 and 2006. Considering the races with a single engine manufacturer, Schumacher is the second behind Lewis Hamilton who completed all his races with a Mercedes power unit (229).

As mentioned above, Schumacher is the driver to win the most races. He won 91 races of his 308 starts, equivalent to a win percentage of 29.55%. This ratio is the seventh best behind Juan Manuel Fangio’s 46.15%. However, this also shows how difficult it is to compare statistic from different eras as the Argentinian 'only' started in 52 races.

Together with Sebastian Vettel, Schumacher holds the record of the most wins during a single season. Both German drivers won 13 races, Schumacher achieved it in 2004 while Vettel in 2013. However, Schumacher’s win ratio is higher because he recorded that number of wins during a 18-race-long season while the quadruple champion managed to do it in a year when the championship was contested over 19 races.

In terms of most consecutive wins, Schumacher occupies the second place together with Alberto Ascari and Nico Rosberg. All of them won seven race in succession. In this regard, Sebastian Vettel’s run with 9 consecutive triumphs stands out.

With 23 years and 240 days, Michael Schumacher is the tenth youngest Grand Prix victor in history. The German’s first win came in the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix in his second season. The statistic is once again hard to read. Six of the nine drivers lying in front of him, won their first race after 2003 when it became more ordinary that drivers joined the pinnacle of motorsport at a very young age.

When it comes to the win from farthest back on the starting grid, Schumacher lies on the sixth place with Jackie Stewart. Both of them won races starting from the 16th grid spot. John Watson is the king of this statistics, the Briton won from the 22nd starting position.

Winning the same Grand Prix is a territory where Michael Schumacher exceptionally excelled. He won the French Grand Prix on eight occasions. In Canada and San Marino, the German was victorious seven times while he managed to steal the win in the Belgian, Spanish, Japanese and European Grand Prix on six occasions.

Regarding the number of pole positions, Schumacher occupies the second spot. The great German achieved 68 first starting position, 15 less than Lewis Hamilton has achieved so far.

Schumacher is also the leader of the list of the most consecutive seasons with a Grand Prix win. Between 1992 and 2006, the seven-time world champion 'failed to fail' in a season, winning at least one race in each of these seasons.