Post by Genghis on Jun 23, 2007 15:16:52 GMT
From: www.sportasylum.com/page/FormulaTopFive/0,,10301~790384,00.html?gclid=CNaCsdfC8owCFQLYEAodS1_-ag
1. Spanish GP - 1996
Michael Schumacher could have been forgiven for wondering what he had let himself in for by joining Ferrari when he rolled up at Barcelona in 1996. The team's F310 car was as difficult as it was slow, and Schumacher had been left trailing by the Williams.
Schumacher started the Spanish GP from third on the grid but he messed up his start and dropped to 10th. What followed was a masterclass.
With rain hammering down, Schumacher staged an amazing recovery. He rapidly picked his way through the field, passing Jacques Villeneuve for the lead on lap 11.
Schumacher eventually crossed the line 45 seconds ahead of the rest. But what really put his superiority into perspective was the fact that his fastest race lap was more than two seconds quicker than anyone else's.
It was Schumacher's first win for Ferrari - and his best too.
2. Monaco GP - 1997
Like most of Schumacher's truly great performances, this one again came in the rain.
The resourceful German used the recognition laps immediately prior to the race to try out two different cars, one set up for wet conditions, the other for dry.
While many of his rivals opted to start with a dry set-up, Schumacher plumped for a car to suit the rain. The result? He was six seconds ahead at the end of lap one.
The rain continued to fall through the race, as Schumacher had predicted. And as other cars skated off in slippery conditions, he drove away from the field.
The race ended after 62 of the scheduled 78 laps, when the two-hour limit on races kicked in. Typically Michael had backed off on his last lap rather than risk having to complete a further circuit, another classic Schumacher touch.
3. Belgian GP - 1995
Weather always has a big say on the outcome of any race at Spa - and the 1995 Belgian GP was no different.
Schumacher was caught out in qualifying and managed only 16th place on the grid. But he made the damp conditions work for him on race day and quickly moved up into the leading pack.
When the rain intensified, Schumacher's rivals dived into the pits for wet tyres - but Schumacher gambled on staying out on slicks.
Using every ounce of his car control, Schumacher somehow kept his car on the track and Damon Hill at bay until the rains relented.
The only blemish on an otherwise brilliant performance was a stewards' ruling that Schumacher had been too aggressive in defending his position from Hill. He was handed a suspended one-race ban as punishment.
4. Japanese GP - 2000
Schumacher had arrived at Ferrari intent on becoming their first World Champion since Jody Scheckter in 1979. He had been foiled in each of his first four years with the team but things finally came together in 2000.
The German started the season with three consecutive wins but Mika Hakkinen came on strong during the summer and the title was delicately poised arriving at Suzuka for the penultimate race of the year.
Schumacher and Hakkinen qualified within nine-thousandths of a second of each other but it was the Finn who got away first to take the lead.
The Ferrari man calmly shadowed Hakkinen until the McLaren man was called in for his second pitstop on lap 37. This was the cue for Schumacher to bang in a trademark series of scorching laps and he emerged from his own stop three laps later in the lead.
Schumacher crossed the line two seconds ahead of Hakkinen to become a Ferrari World Champion at last - and kick off a period of domination unparalleled in F1 history.
5. Belgian GP - 1992
No one could have forecast in 1992 just how good Schumacher was going to become but his first Formula 1 win bore all the hallmarks of the great German's genius.
Schumacher qualified third and it looked like he was on course for a similar position in a wet race until he slithered off the track at Stavelot and dropped behind team-mate Martin Brundle.
For any other driver, this might be seen as a blow. Schumacher turned it to his advantage. Taking a close look at his team-mate's blistered wet tyres, the German surmised that it was time to switch to slicks.
Over-ruling his team's pit strategy, Schumacher dived into the pits at the end of lap 30. By the time his rivals reacted and made their own stops a few laps later, he was in the lead and out of reach.
Schumacher took the flag to record his maiden F1 victory. It was to prove the first of many.
Honourable mentions
Malaysian GP 2001 - Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello fell right to the back of the field in monsoon conditions at Sepang, but recovered to claim an unlikely 1-2.
San Marino GP 2003 - The strength of character and dignity that Schumacher displayed in winning at Imola just 24 hours after the death of his mother was awe-inspiring.
French GP 2004 - Schumacher's outrageous four-stop strategy to overcome Fernando Alonso at Magny-Cours was the highlight of his all-conquering 2004 campaign.
Whaddaya reckon Schumi, do you agree? I suppose it wasn't that hard to pick Michael's 5 best wins, as his team-mates let him past to win the other 86 ;D ;D
All the best
Rob
1. Spanish GP - 1996
Michael Schumacher could have been forgiven for wondering what he had let himself in for by joining Ferrari when he rolled up at Barcelona in 1996. The team's F310 car was as difficult as it was slow, and Schumacher had been left trailing by the Williams.
Schumacher started the Spanish GP from third on the grid but he messed up his start and dropped to 10th. What followed was a masterclass.
With rain hammering down, Schumacher staged an amazing recovery. He rapidly picked his way through the field, passing Jacques Villeneuve for the lead on lap 11.
Schumacher eventually crossed the line 45 seconds ahead of the rest. But what really put his superiority into perspective was the fact that his fastest race lap was more than two seconds quicker than anyone else's.
It was Schumacher's first win for Ferrari - and his best too.
2. Monaco GP - 1997
Like most of Schumacher's truly great performances, this one again came in the rain.
The resourceful German used the recognition laps immediately prior to the race to try out two different cars, one set up for wet conditions, the other for dry.
While many of his rivals opted to start with a dry set-up, Schumacher plumped for a car to suit the rain. The result? He was six seconds ahead at the end of lap one.
The rain continued to fall through the race, as Schumacher had predicted. And as other cars skated off in slippery conditions, he drove away from the field.
The race ended after 62 of the scheduled 78 laps, when the two-hour limit on races kicked in. Typically Michael had backed off on his last lap rather than risk having to complete a further circuit, another classic Schumacher touch.
3. Belgian GP - 1995
Weather always has a big say on the outcome of any race at Spa - and the 1995 Belgian GP was no different.
Schumacher was caught out in qualifying and managed only 16th place on the grid. But he made the damp conditions work for him on race day and quickly moved up into the leading pack.
When the rain intensified, Schumacher's rivals dived into the pits for wet tyres - but Schumacher gambled on staying out on slicks.
Using every ounce of his car control, Schumacher somehow kept his car on the track and Damon Hill at bay until the rains relented.
The only blemish on an otherwise brilliant performance was a stewards' ruling that Schumacher had been too aggressive in defending his position from Hill. He was handed a suspended one-race ban as punishment.
4. Japanese GP - 2000
Schumacher had arrived at Ferrari intent on becoming their first World Champion since Jody Scheckter in 1979. He had been foiled in each of his first four years with the team but things finally came together in 2000.
The German started the season with three consecutive wins but Mika Hakkinen came on strong during the summer and the title was delicately poised arriving at Suzuka for the penultimate race of the year.
Schumacher and Hakkinen qualified within nine-thousandths of a second of each other but it was the Finn who got away first to take the lead.
The Ferrari man calmly shadowed Hakkinen until the McLaren man was called in for his second pitstop on lap 37. This was the cue for Schumacher to bang in a trademark series of scorching laps and he emerged from his own stop three laps later in the lead.
Schumacher crossed the line two seconds ahead of Hakkinen to become a Ferrari World Champion at last - and kick off a period of domination unparalleled in F1 history.
5. Belgian GP - 1992
No one could have forecast in 1992 just how good Schumacher was going to become but his first Formula 1 win bore all the hallmarks of the great German's genius.
Schumacher qualified third and it looked like he was on course for a similar position in a wet race until he slithered off the track at Stavelot and dropped behind team-mate Martin Brundle.
For any other driver, this might be seen as a blow. Schumacher turned it to his advantage. Taking a close look at his team-mate's blistered wet tyres, the German surmised that it was time to switch to slicks.
Over-ruling his team's pit strategy, Schumacher dived into the pits at the end of lap 30. By the time his rivals reacted and made their own stops a few laps later, he was in the lead and out of reach.
Schumacher took the flag to record his maiden F1 victory. It was to prove the first of many.
Honourable mentions
Malaysian GP 2001 - Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello fell right to the back of the field in monsoon conditions at Sepang, but recovered to claim an unlikely 1-2.
San Marino GP 2003 - The strength of character and dignity that Schumacher displayed in winning at Imola just 24 hours after the death of his mother was awe-inspiring.
French GP 2004 - Schumacher's outrageous four-stop strategy to overcome Fernando Alonso at Magny-Cours was the highlight of his all-conquering 2004 campaign.
Whaddaya reckon Schumi, do you agree? I suppose it wasn't that hard to pick Michael's 5 best wins, as his team-mates let him past to win the other 86 ;D ;D
All the best
Rob
;D