Therehavebeenmanygreatracecardriversthroughracinghistory,butalmostnoneofthemhaveachievedwhatMichaelSchumacherhasduringhisentirecareer.Amotorsportenthusiastsincechildhood,Schumacher,whosecareerspawnsfromthelate80supuntilnow,hasachievedalmosteverythingaracecardrivercouldwishfor:worldchampionships,laprecords,most-wins,mostpodiums,countlessawards,etc.ThisiswhyaccordingtomanyexpertsheisoneofthemostimportantandinfluentialsportsmeninFormulaOnehistory,andperhapsinracinghistorytoo.

　　MichaelSchumacher'soriginswereasordinaryasanyotherpersonalive.HegrewupinthesmalltownofHurth-Herm眉lheiminGermany,wherehisfatherrunasmallkarttrackwhereMichaelandhisbrotherRalf,whoisalsoaFormula1driver,woulddrivesmallkartsthattheirfatherbuildforthem.Aroundthattime,hispassionformotorsportsstartedtogrowdramaticallyevenaftersufferingsomeaccidentsinhissmallmachine,likecrashingintoalamppostseveraltimes.Hestartedtocompeteinmanyregionalkartchampionshipswherehewouldwinfrequently.Hisparents,realizinghisson'spotential,arrangedmanysponsorshipdealswithwealthyenthusiaststhathelpedtheyoungMichaeltoworkhiswayuptheranks(Donaldson).Between1986and1990MichaelwonmanynationalandEuropeancompetitions,includingtheGermanandEuropeanKartchampionships,hisgreatesttriumphsyet.Hiswinningstreakcontinuedthroughmuchofthelate80s,healsowonmanyracesinJapanandMexico.HemanagedtoclinchtheGermanFormula3000championshipin1990too.ThisachievementcaughttheattentionofmanyFormulaOneteamprincipalswhosawinMichaelafutureFormulaOnestar.In1991hetestedforsomeFormulaOneteamswhomwhereimpressedbyMichael'sspeed.DuringoneofthistestsatSilverstone,England;hegreatlyimpressedJordanGrandPrixteamprincipalEddieJordan,whoatthetimewaslookingforadriverwhocouldreplaceBertrandGachotbehindthewheelofonehiscars.MichaelconvincedhimthathewouldnotdisappointhimandwithsomehelpfromBernieEcclestone(CodlingandClarkson43)hemadehisFormulaOnedebutattheBelgianGrandPrixofthatyearwhereheshockedtheentireworldbydeliveringagreatperformanceeventhoughhewasarookie.Michael'slongtimedreamofmakingitintoFormulaOnebecamearealitythatOctober.

　　AfteronlyonebutveryimpressiveraceduringhismaidenseasoninFormulaOne,hewasquicklysnatchedbytheBenettonteamthankstosmartnegotiationsbetweenMichael'sagentandTomWalkinshaw,whoatthetimewasakeymemberintheteam(CodlingandClarkson44).WiththisnewteamMichaelspent4greatseasons.Duringthefirst2,1992–1993,MichaelkeptdemonstratingtotheworldwhyhewasconsideredbymanythenextkingofFormulaOne,especiallyaftershowingthathewascapableofwinningracesdespiteofbeingdrivingabadcar.AgoodexampleofthishappenedduringtheGrandPrixofPortugalin1993wherehebeat4-timeworldchampionAlainProstandanotherformerworldchampion,AyrtonSenna.Michaelconsidersthisraceoneofhisbests(Bijganath).Michaelreachedthepinnacleofmotorsportsin1994whenhebecameFormulaOneworldchampionafteraverydramaticseason.In1995herepeatedthisfeatwhenheclinchedthechampionshipagain;thus,becomingatwo-timeFormulaOneworldchampion.In1996MichaelwassignedbyFormulaOnegiantsScuderiaFerrari.Thismovewascelebr