Our Michael Schumacher Biography portrays facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Family, Parents (Elisabeth and Rolf Schumacher), Wife (Corinna Schumacher).
Moreso, Michael Schumacher’s Daughter (Gina Maria) and son (Mick), Siblings, Relatives (Ralf, David and Sebastian), Personal Life, Lifestyle, Salary, Endorsements and net worth.
In reality, this chronicle serves you a broad view of the Life history of Michael Schumacher. He is a German former racing driver.
He competed in Formula One for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes. Our record begins from the time of his birth till his fame.
Stirring up your passion for our bio, here are pictures of Michael Schumacher. Indeed, the snapshot summarises his Childhood Story and Biography facts from cradle until his fame.
Michael Schumacher holds a joint record of seven World Drivers’ Championship titles (tied with Lewis Hamilton). He also maintains the record for the fastest laps (77), amongst others.
Nonetheless, there is more to him than meets the eye. Therefore, relax while you have the fascinating read of a concise piece of Michael Schumacher’s Biography. With no further delay, let us proceed.
Michael Schumacher Childhood Story:
To start with, Michael Schumacher was born on the 3rd Day of January 1969. He arrived on earth on a faithful Friday to his mother, Elisabeth Schumacher and father, Rolf Schumacher.
Michael Schumacher was born in a small town named Hurth, in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The athlete came into the world amid the union of his Sister, Gina Maria. Following is a photo of Michael Schumacher’s mother, Elisabeth and father, Rolf.
Michael Schumacher Early Years – Growing up in Germany:
When Michael Schumacher was four, his family moved to Kerpen, a working-class town near Cologne, Germany.
It was where the family became involved in karting. Schumey, as fondly called, showed potential for racing quite early in life.
His parents noted his early interest and gave him their full support. At that time, Michael got gifted a kart, powered by an old lawn-mower engine by his father.
As such, Michael Schumacher Learned to race on a go-kart track established by Wolfgang von Trips and bought by Schumacher’s father. It was indeed from such a humble beginning that 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. Soon Schumacher got seen driving around with great speed and less control.
Seeing that Schumacher was not afraid of speed, his father joined him in the local karting club at six. With his parent’s support, he became the youngest member of the karting club at the Karting track in Kerpen-Horrem.
Michael Schumacher Family Background:
The German sports competitor belongs to a hardworking and middle-class family. Michael Schumacher’s dad, Rolf, was a bricklayer by profession. It was his earnings from that Michael got his first Kart.
Meanwhile, Elisabeth worked at the racetrack’s canteen. Their early support, financially and otherwise, gave Michael Schumacher a good head start for what would be an outstanding career.
Michael Schumacher Family Origin:
For the records, Michael Schumacher was born in the most populous state of Germany, known as North Rhine-Westphalia. To discern his household roots, we could break down his descendants individually.
Beginning with one from his mother’s side and the other from his father’s side. History has it that Micheal’s parents, Elisabeth and Rolf, were born and bred in Germany. Furthermore, the name Schumacher is an occupational surname.
It has both German and then Jewish origins. However, it’s most popular in Germany, and it means “shoemaker.” But then, Michael Schumacher drove under the Luxembourg flag in his Junior Career.
Although he was German, he chose Luxembourg as his nationality during his karting career. It helped him financially. In addition, he would easier qualify for the world championship under the circumstances.
Michael Schumacher is a native of Hurth. Therefore, in concluding Michael Schumacher’s Family Origin, we deduce that the former F1 racer is of German ethnicity. Following is a photographic representation of Michael Schumacher’s household roots.
Michael Schumacher Education:
Schumacher attended a school in Mannheim. The city stretches in the Upper Rhine Plain, Germany’s warmest region.
However, Michael Schumacher struggled in school. it was
difficult to combine his karting events with his studies.
The good thing was his entire focus on his racing career. He knew what e wanted and paid the price. Therefore, in 1987, Michael Schumacher’s school career officially ended.
He then began working as a mechanic. Before that, in 1985, Michael joined Eurokart dealer Adolf Neubert and, by 1987, he was the German and European kart champion.
Michael Schumacher did not attend college.
Early Career:
At 12, Michael Schumacher got his Kart Licence and won the German Junior Kart Championship the following year. Soon he began winning the kart tournaments in Europe as well. By 1987, Schumacher was the European and German kart Champion.
Michael took part in the World Sportscar Championship in 1990 and 1991, winning a few races. In 1990, he emerged a winner in the German Formula 3 Series.
The win was an impressive achievement for a 22-year-old. It helped him join the Jordan-Ford team for the Belgian Grand Prix.
He qualified in the seventh position but had to retire in the first lap because of clutch problems. But his technical knowledge impressed many and how quickly he could adapt to the circuit.
Michael Schumacher Biography – Road to Fame:
Benetton-Ford promptly signed him for the next race. In his second race with the other team, he topped expectations.
Schumacher came in fifth place. In 1992, he enjoyed his first triumph at the Belgian Grand Prix. Michael finished third in the Driver’s tournaments.
In 1993, he emerged 4th in the overall championships. In 1994, Michael won his first Driver’s Championship at 25. He won 8 of the 14 races. Schumey beat runner-up Damon Hill by just a single point.
Therefore, the win made him an overnight phenomenon in the racing World. Michael retained his title in 1995 by beating runner up Damon Hill by an impressive margin of 33 points.
Now Schumacher was the best F1 driver in the World. Schumacher then moved to the struggling Ferrari team in 1996.
Michael Schumacher Biography- Rise to Fame:
In 1996, Schumacher joined Ferrari, with whom he would form highly successful cooperation. Ferrari last won the Constructor’s Team Championships in 1979. So Ferrari was looking for a skilled motorist who could take their squad back to the top.
He assisted Ferrari to finish second in the Constructor’s Championship. Schumacher got disqualified from the Driver’s Championship for unsportsmanlike conduct in 1997. However, the World was just about to mark history in the making.
In 1998, Schumacher came second, and in 1999, he came fifth. During his first years, Schumacher lost out on the title in the season’s last race in 1997 and 1998. After which, he suffered a fractured leg from a brake, collapsed in 1999.
The Italian GP win in 2000 was Schumacher’s 41st victory, bringing his tally equal to the late triple-world champion, Ayrton Senna. It was an emotional moment for Schumacher. He got in tears during the post-race press conference. See the clip here.
He and Ferrari won five successive titles from 2000 to 2004, comprising unprecedented sixth and seventh titles, smashing several performances. After emerging third in 2005 and second in 2006, Schumacher retired from racing. Watch his farewell speech here.
Nonetheless, he later made a brief return with Mercedes from 2010 to 2012. At the moment of his withdrawal, Schumacher had 91 F1 Grand Prix race triumphs.
The wins shattered the previous record of 51, held by French driver Alain Prost. Enjoy the clip of Michael Schumacher’s best performances over the years here.
Who is Michael Schumacher’s Spouse?:
Michael Schumacher has a wife named Corrina (née Betsch). Corrina was born on the 2nd of March 1969. Similarly, she is also German. Their marriage took place in August 1995 in Germany.
The duo has been fond of each other since their union. So, they got blessed with a son, Mick, and a daughter, Gina-Maria. They are happy and live in Switzerland.
Michael Schumacher’s Spouse – Corinna Schumacher (née Betsch):
She is a German animal rights activist. In addition, a skilful horse driver. An avid horsewoman, in 2010, she won the European Championship in western style horse riding. Corinna is also an avid dog lover. In addition, she is a dedicated animal’s rights activist.
Before she married Michael, she was in a relationship with Heinz-Harald Frentzen in the early 1990s. Corinna and Michael own horse ranches in Texas, US, and Switzerland. The CS Ranch, in Gordonville, Texas, focuses mainly on training and showing.
Michael Schumacher’s Children:
As aforementioned, the German racer has two kids. Michael Schumacher has a Son, Mick Schumacher and a daughter, Gina-Maria. Good enough, his children are also sports competitors.
Mick Schumacher is a Swiss-born racing driver. He races for Haas in Formula One under the German flag. Similarly, Mick is also a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. Meanwhile, Gina-Maria is a non-professional horse rider.
Michael Schumacher Family Life:
At this stage in our Biography, let’s talk about each member of Schumacher’s home.
Indeed, he could not have made it without the steadfast support of his hardworking and athletic household. The bond within the home has helped him emerge as a racing Legend.
About Michael Schumacher Father – Rolf Schumacher:
Michael Schumacher’s dad’s name is Rolf Schumacher. Rolf was born to Anna Schumacher. He is a bricklayer who later ran the local kart track.
When Micheal was four, his father changed his pedal kart by adding a small motorcycle engine.
Rolf was a significant and foremost support to Micheal’s successful career. To support his Son’s racing, Rolf took on a second job of renting and repairing karts.
He got married to Elisabeth, and together they have 2 Sons, Micheal and Ralf. However,
They cut short the marriage. Rolf Schumacher then remarried Barbara Stahl. Barbara had a son, Sebastian.
Michael Schumacher’s Mother – Elisabeth Schumacher:
Similarly, Michael Schumacher’s mum, Elisabeth Schumacher, is German. Just like Rolf, she has been supportive of her Son’s racing career. Elisabeth worked at the track’s canteen.
Michael Schumacher has so far enjoyed her love, support, and motherly care throughout his growing-up years. Before her divorce, her marriage to Rolf brought forth two kids. Her children, Micheal and Ralf, are both racing athletes.
His mother passed away in 2003 during the weekend of the San Marino Grand Prix.
His brother Ralf and flew back to Germany that Saturday evening and raced the next day despite her passing. Michael won the race and dedicated his victory to his mother.
Michael Schumacher’s Brother – Ralf Schumacher:
The German racer has only a direct sibling (since he later had a stepbrother). His name is Ralf Schumacher. Ralf was born on the 30th of June 1975. He is a German former racing driver.
Together with his senior brother, Michael Schumacher, the pair are the only siblings to win Formula One races. After leaving Formula One, Schumacher joined the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2008.
Michael Schumacher achieved minor success. He then retired from motorsport at the end of 2012 to enter a managerial role within DTM, mentoring inexperienced drivers. He is now a co-commentator for Sky Sport in Germany.
Michael Schumacher Relatives:
The German former F1 driver should have a few extended family members aside from
his nuclear family members of father, mother, and Children.
Schumacher has a stepbrother, uncles, aunts, and grandparents. His paternal grandmother is the late Anna Schumacher.
Micheal and Ralf have a stepbrother, Sebastian Stahl. He is also a professional racing driver. In addition, Stahl raced in the VLN endurance series at the Nürburgring.
He, in addition, took part in the 24 Hours Nürburgring for “Airnergy-Motorsport”, driving a BMW M3 GT with Kenneth Heyer. Sebastian Stahl drove for A1 Grand Prix’s A1 Team Germany at the 2006 season finale in China.
Furthermore, Micheal has a nephew, who is also a former F1 driver. His name is David Schumacher.
He is the Son of Ralf, Micheal’s younger brother and cousin of Mick Schumacher. He is also in a relationship with Hungarian racing driver Vivien Keszthelyi.
Michael Schumacher Personal Life:
Horse-riding, skydiving, motorcycle racing, swimming, football, skiing and scuba diving – these are just some of Michael Schumacher’s high-octane hobbies, aside from his professional career as the most successful single-seater race driver in history.
We know Schumacher for his remarkably smooth driving style, control on the track, and most notably, his mastery of curves. His favourite movie is The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Schumey, in addition, owns a big and furious Belgium Shephard dog named Shiva.
His biggest fear is driving under wet conditions, and he has twice crashed on a damp track, but we know him excelling in the rain. He also is impeccably fit. He works out four hours per day before going to the test track to drive.
Four years after his withdrawal from F1, Schumacher’s social media became live. The act got people asking Why is Michael Schumacher on social networks? Guess he uses them to stay connected to his fans all over the world. His Instagram account has over 1M followers.
Michael Schumacher Lifestyle:
Schumacher’s career spanned from 1991 to 2006 with Jordan, Benetton and Ferrari.
Throughout his racing career, he has been one of the highest-paid athletes of all time.
Even when he is not racing, Michael can easily earn $50 million per year from endorsements.
Micheal was once the second-highest-paid athlete in the World, behind Tiger Woods. He is a definition of what it means to live a life of affluence. Micheal’s hard work affords him the luxurious life he enjoys. His cars, jets, mansions, even an island speaks volume about him.
Michael Schumacher’s Residence:
The F1 legend and his family moved to a luxury mansion on Lake Geneva, which lies 25 km away from his old house, Villa La Chenai. The estate reportedly cost $35 million to build up and has over 40 rooms.
Meanwhile, the Villa La Chenai is worth about $26,700 annually. This Geneva ultra-luxury pad has 2200 square meters of living space, a parking garage for 29 cars, a chopper landing area and a football field. See photos here.
Schumi has also established that he and his family don’t have to go very far for relaxation. The home possesses a cinema and a bowling alley.
The 70-meter long trophy room is another exceptional feature of this villa, which will feature the untold number of awards and trophies that Schumacher has won over the years.
Michael Schumacher’s Ranch:
Schumacher’s love for speed and thrill doesn’t stop at mean machines. Riding the finest horses on his ranch is not only his hobby, but also a source of inspiration and, not to forget, an excellent investment.
Schumacher has gifted the ranch to his wife Corinna, which is pretty clear by the ranch’s name, CS Ranch. The farm has 26 horse stalls. It is also the site for international reining competitions.
The arena has international standards and measures 95 meters long and 40 meters in width. The hall has a capacity of 1,400 spectators.
Michael Schumacher’s Car Collections:
Schumacher has loved cars so much that he took possession of many of the F1 vehicles that he drove throughout his career. Presently, the personal collection of racing cars and memorabilia belonging to the Formula 1 legend is on permanent display.
Schumacher’s automobiles are available in a new and permanent exhibition near his hometown of Kerpen in Germany. Let’s look at some of those and others in his incredible collection.
One of his favourite cars was the first open-wheel racecar he ever drove, a 1988 Formel Ford. Others include the Sauber – Mercedes C291, Ferrari FXX, Ferrari Enzo, Mercedes SLS AMG, Ferrari 599 GTB and 430 Scuderia.
Furthermore, Schumacher Drives a Fiat 500 Abarth as a personal compact car and a Fiat Croma as his family car. Here is a collage of his vehicles.
Michael Schumacher Private jets – Falcon 200:
Schumacher’s choice of toy for flying up in the sky is Falcon 200. He uses this nine-seater jet to take off to and from the races.
The Falcon 200 is the freshest evolution of the popular Dassault midsize jets. It can speed up to a maximum speed of 460 knots and command a price of $22 million. The plane boasts of a complete galley facility, separate washroom.
Salary and Net Worth:
Michael Schumacher’s success on the racetrack didn’t just make him the Formula One driver of all time with the most winnings. It made him the wealthiest. In fact, Schumacher is among the five highest-score athletes of all time.
During his climax, Schumacher made close to $100 million per year. As of 2021, according to essential sports, they estimated him to have a net worth of $780 million.
In 2012, Forbes estimated his earnings for the year to be $30 million. He was number 20 on the list of the World’s highest-paid athletes earnings.
Endorsement:
As mentioned before, Schumacher can easily earn $50 million per year from endorsements. At the peak of his career, Royal Dutch Shell paid him $10 million per year to display a hat with the company’s emblem at nearly all public appearances.
The likes of Marlboro, and Vodafone, among others, has also endorsed the ‘Red Baron’. Deutsche Vermögensberatung – a monetary services distributor, Mercedes Benz, CS Ranch – a reining facility and Mick Schumacher currently sponsored Michael.
Last year they announced Michael, the official brand ambassador of Audemars Piguet watch. He got spotted wearing Audemars Piguet many times. The watchmaking process fascinates, and an acknowledged connoisseur who has been collecting timepieces for several years.
Michael Schumacher Untold Facts:
Prior to Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, Michael was the proud holder of most race records. He is synonymous with Ferrari for bringing the Italian team to 5 successive World Championships in F1 when Ferrari was unstoppable. Following are other facts of interest.
Michael Schumacher Religion:
In practice, a religion may involve various forms of communication, such as prayers or meditation. Even though religions differ, they share beliefs and a moral code.
Michael is a Roman Catholic. He believes in the three-in-one God and his Son, Jesus Christ. In 2005, reports had he met with Pope John Paul II. The duo met during an audience in St Peter’s Square on the 6th of October 1999.
When Pope John Paul II first met Schumacher and his wife, the Catholic leader also revealed how he was a secret fan. Furthermore, in keeping the faith, it’s revealed that Pope Francis is praying for the stricken F1 legend.
Foundations and Charity Work:
Schumacher has a charitable side to him. He has supported organisations like UNESCO, ChildLine, and others. He associated with UNESCO and emerged a UNESCO Champion for Sport in 2002.
UNESCO works to establish the conditions for dialogue among civilisations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. Red Cross UNICEF. Moreso, he provided aid during the 2004 Tsunami crisis.
Schumacher even set up schools and hospitals in places like Peru, Sarajevo, and Senegal. Michael also gave away nearly $10 million to the Clinton Foundation. He has also taken part in several road safety campaigns organized by the FIA and Bacardi.
The Keep Fighting Foundation is a charitable organization motivated by Michael and run by the Schumacher household.
The foundation proposes to develop projects linked to social, cultural, and public health causes. Micheal’s charity football match is also not left out.
Politics:
They also involved Michael Schumacher with sets of activities associated with deciding in groups or other forms of power relations between individuals.
On June 23, 2003, they appointed Schumacher an Ambassador-at-Large for the Most Serene Republic of San Marino.
Michael Schumacher’s Accident And Coma:
The seven-time world racing champion got medically induced to a coma after a fall in the French Alps in 2013. Schumacher was skiing with Mick, his Son, when he knocked his head on rocks. Despite wearing a helmet, he fell into a coma for six months after the accident.
The doctors said he had suffered blood clots on the brain. Physicians said the F1 legend would almost certainly have died if he was not wearing head protection. He left the clinic in Grenoble for further recovery at the Lausanne University Hospital.
Good enough, he got moved to his home to receive medical treatment and rehabilitation privately. There seems, however, a long and challenging road ahead, his wife Corinna reports.
Controversial racing incidents:
Over his career, they involved Schumacher in several controversial racing incidents. Twice, he became involved in collisions in the last race of a season that decided the title.
His first collision was with Damon Hill at the 1994 Australian Grand Prix. Much later, he collided with Jacques Villeneuve at the 1997 European Grand Prix. Here is a video of a few other collisions.
Unique Style:
Schumacher gets noted for pushing his car to the very limit for sustained periods during races. He is a pioneering fitness regimen. In addition, he can galvanise teams around him.
Micheal and his younger brother Ralf are the only siblings to win races in Formula One. They are also the initial siblings to finish first and second in the same race. The duo repeated the feat in four subsequent races.
Featured articles:
So far, lots of articles and books about Michael Schumacher have been on the rise. He wrote of himself in “Schumacher: The Official Inside Story of the Formula One Icon,” published in 2003. Some other books include the following.
1. Michael Schumacher: Driven to extremes (James Allen, 2000)
2. Michael Schumacher by James Allen: The edge of greatness (2007)
3. Schumacher by Timothy Collings: The life of the new Formula 1 World Champion (1994)
4. Team Schumacher (Timothy Collings, 2005)
5. Michael Schumacher: The Whole Story (Christopher Hilton, 2006).
Michael Schumacher vs Lewis Hamilton:
Through the years, the only racer to match up with Schumacher has been Lewis Hamilton.
Statistics show Hamilton has raced for 14 seasons. He has taken part in 264 Grand Prix since 2007. Also to note, F1 fans these days feel Max Verstappen would join these Legends in the years to come.
Meanwhile, Schumacher competed for 19 seasons with 307 races in two spells — 1991-2006 and 2010-2012. In 2020, Hamilton surpassed two other Schumacher records; the number of podiums (163 against 155) and victories (94 against 91).
The Schumacher Documentary:
Besides his father and brother Ralf, Schumacher’s wife Corinna and his two offsprings Mick and Gina, speak publicly for the first time, as do his dearest associates and challengers.
Among them are Jean Todt, Sebastian Vettel, Mika Häkkinen, Flavio Briatore, David Coulthard, Damon Hill, Willi Weber, Luca di Montezemolo, Bernie Ecclestone, his manager Sabine Kehm, Piero Ferrari, and many more.
They recount the story of a zealous fighter who pushed the boundaries of his sport further and further and of the absolute team player who always treated people with high regard and respect. We can see the documentary on Netflix. See the trailer here.
The Official Michael Schumacher App:
The Official App provides a virtual tour of the Michael Schumacher Private Collection exhibition. Furthermore, the app offers the historic Kerpen-Manheim Kart circuit, where Schumacher trained his outstanding driving skills as a child.
It offers racing cars in 3D and their engine sounds. The application deepens Michael Schumacher’s statistics.
The records show an interview recorded in 2013. It again reveals racing cars and karts from the early days. We can find the app on Android and iOS App.
Wiki Summary:
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His Networth, Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Children, Parents, Brother, Relatives, Rise to fame, Networth, ethnicity and much more are in the table here.
Conclusion:
As we round off Michael Schumacher’s Biography and Childhood Life Story, we guess
you could pick up a few lessons. Michael Schumacher is a fighter who pushed the boundaries of his sport further. He always treated people with high regard and respect.
Did you know that Michael Schumacher was not fit on the eve of his first race weekend in Formula 1? He had his fears and challenges but never let them withhold him. However, he would never let it show.
That race later marked the beginning of his legendary racing career. He gave his career his all. He never gave up amid circumstances. Furthermore, he remained humble throughout his achievements.
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Cole Xavier
Hi there! I'm Cole Xavier, a writer and storyteller with a passion for exploring the lives of famous people through their childhood memories. With a warm and friendly writing style, I hope to engage readers and spark their curiosity about the lives of the famous people they admire.
