Michael Schumacher is one of the all-time greats of Formula 1, having set many records that are yet to be broken. A one-off Formula 1 performance in 1991 turned into a career that many people could only dream of. But his driving style in certain instances was somewhat considered to be controversial.
A true winner mentality means that you want to win at any cost, but for Michael, that also meant looking beyond the rulebook for more controversial ways to come out on top. Schumacher got lots of conversations going about what was and wasn’t allowed as he continued to shock the F1 world with his questionable moves. Eventually leading to major repercussions.
The 1994 British Grand Prix
Michael Schumacher’s 1994 season started off very well, winning 6 of the first 7 races of the year. However, during the British Grand Prix in round 8, Schumacher would not see any points due to several incidents leading to a disqualification.
Michael would start the race in second place behind championship rival Damon Hill. During the formation lap, though, Schumacher overtook Hill not once, but on two separate occasions. At the start, he took his assigned grid position, but the damage was done as he was given a 5-second stop/go penalty on lap 14, which he would need to serve before the end of lap 21.
The German ignored this penalty and kept racing, leading to the stewards showing him the black flag on lap 22. Even this wouldn’t stop Michael as he still continued racing, taking the checkered flag in P2 and standing on the podium. This result would not stand, though. Two weeks after the British Grand Prix, Schumacher was disqualified from the race and given a two-race ban from the Formula 1 championship. His team, Benetton, was also fined $500,000.
The 1994 Australian Grand Prix
Schumacher’s disqualifications during the 1994 season would see him hold only a narrow lead going into the final race of the season at Adelaide, Australia. Just 1 point separated him from title rival Damon Hill. This meant that if Hill outscored him in any way, he would lose the championship. Schumacher took the lead on lap 1 with Hill not far behind. The race wouldn’t show much happening until lap 36, when the fate of the championship would be decided in a very controversial way.
Schumacher was leading Hill, but by less time every lap as he was catching up to the German. Michael made a crucial mistake in lap 35, going wide onto the grass and hitting the wall with Hill right on his gearbox. As they prepared to turn in for the next corner, Hill tried to dive down the inside. Schumacher defended by completely closing the door on Hill, resulting in Schumacher’s car being lifted up and crashing into a wall.
What a way for the title to be decided at the 1994 Australian Grand Prix!
Both Schumacher and Hill retired from the race, but one became champion 🏆#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/3as30LVbxg
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 20, 2024
Hill could continue and would be champion if he finished 5th or higher. However, his front suspension was damaged in the crash with Schumacher, and Hill had to retire on the same lap. With both drivers not finishing, Michael Schumacher was the World Champion of the 1994 Formula 1 season.
The 1997 European Grand Prix
In 1997, Schumacher had a somewhat harder time fighting for his 3rd world championship. He only won a handful of races, and only 1 point separated him from his main title rival, Jacques Villeneuve, going into the final race of the season at Jerez. This time, Formula 1 was prepared. Michael’s antics from 1994 did not go over well in the world of F1 as fans and critics alike shunned Schumacher’s tactics and racing mentality.
Villeneuve had also mentioned these tactics before the race in Jerez began, as he was afraid of a repeat during the upcoming race. And this is exactly what happened on lap 47 of the final race of the season. Schumacher had had issues for a large part of the race, dealing with a coolant leak. Villeneuve finally saw his chance to overtake Michael and take charge of the championship, but the German would do everything in his power not to let the Canadian pass him.
A Deep Look into the Rivalry Between Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen
Just as Villeneuve dove down the inside, Michael Schumacher steered into Villeneuve, and Schumacher went into the gravel as a result. Villeneuve managed to finish the race and win the 1997 world championship. Schumacher, on the other hand, was summoned to a disciplinary hearing a few weeks later.
His moves while fighting for championships had become infamous and had gone “unpunished” for too long. The FIA decided to act now, disqualifying Schumacher from the 1997 championship while allowing him to keep his results from that year.
