Some people sympathise with the driver who has the unenviable task of living up to his brother Michael Schumacher. Other suggest that, were it not for his surname, Ralf wouldn’t have made it very far in motor racing in the first place.
The younger Schumacher tested for McLaren in 1996 but got a Jordan drive instead for 1997, where he was generally outclassed by Giancarlo Fisichella.
The following year Schumacher was paired with Damon Hill. He often compared very favourably with the 1996 champion, and was furious at being restrained from racing Hill for the team’s first win at Spa in 1998. Schumacher switched to Williams ahead of their BMW engine deal in 2000.
He had the measure of Alessandro Zanardi in 1999, whose return to F1 went very poorly. In 2000 Jenson Button arrived in Zanardi’s place and showed up Schumacher on more than one occasion. But as Frank Williams had Juan Pablo Montoya contracted for 2001, so Schumacher would get yet another new team mate anyway.
Ralf broke his victory duck at San Marino in 2001 and followed that up with wins in Canada and Germany. The former was arguably his best, holding off brother Michael in the dying stages – but the latter came at the expense of Montoya, who retired while leading. Ralf added another win at Malaysia in 2002, one of only two not won by Ferrari that year.
Ralf was criticised for not fighting as hard with his brother as he did with other drivers, and from 2003 began picking up injuries that compromised his season. He had been in the running for the championship earlier on it that year. Then most of 2004 was written off after a crash at Indianapolis where he hurt his back.
In 2005 he moved to Toyota on a massive salary to partner Jarno Trulli, who had the beating of him for most of the season. Toyota endured a more difficult season in 2006, but Ralf at least managed to beat Trulli more often. In fact, the two even got in each other’s way on occasion, such as at Suzuka.
In 2007 Ralf slipped back behind Trulli again and Toyota declined to renew his contract. He joined Mercedes’ DTM team in 2008.
Related links
Ralf Schumacher pictures
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this bography is not objective – ralf was more then just Michael’s brother. He should be remembered as a six times grand prix winner, as the second most successful german F1 driver and as beeing with his illustrious brother the only two brothers in history of F1 having shared wins and poles alltogether during their time in F1.
People tend to remenber only the media unobjective vision of the sport : Ralf was overhyped, overpaid, and annoying. Just look up his stats and the duration of his F1 carreer and you’ll think otherwise
in think that ralf schumacher is still a great driver and i wish he wud cum back 2 f1 where he belongs, because if he is given a good car he wud have a gud crack at the title.
people 4get that he has never had a championship winning car so its no surprise he never won title.
so it wud b gud 2 see how he wud do if he came back 2 f1 wiv a gud car, i also think ferrari shud employ him 2 finish season off 2 give him a chance 2 prove his critics wrong, and if he does well he shud be there next season
“Nice thinking Mark”
Ralf @ ferrari
Anyway finished 5th in last DTM race (Dijon) on a track no one had ever drove on before. I say well done !
To look back on his F1 carrer, I think he lost the wil to race when his brother left F1, plus the toyota had been rubish for 2 years.
he miss f1 because he is the best for dangerious drive