Michael Schumacher  Born: 3.1.69  Birthplace:Kerpen, Germany  Team: Ferrari  2006 Car Number: 5  Last Season: Third  GP Pedigree (After Brazilian GP)  Starts: 251  Victories: 91  Poles: 70  Fastest Laps: 72  Points: 1369  GP Debut: 1991, Belgian GP, Jordan, retired   Five-year Stats

Often controversial, often brilliant, pretty often the F1 world champion but always immensely talented, Michael Schumacher is undoubtedly one of the finest drivers to grace motorsport's centre stage.

His shrewd racing mind and awesome driving ability, especially in the wet, have brought him deserved praise and respect - if not popularity.

The winner of more grands prix and world championships than any other driver in F1 history, just about the only record Schumi doesn't hold is for pole positions.

But given his disappointing 2005 season and the general belief that he'll quit at the end of 2006, it may yet be a record Ayrton Senna retains.

Following his F1 debut for Jordan in 1991, Schumacher made rapid progress up the F1 ladder and took his first world title in 1994.

However, along with success came controversy with race suspensions and accusations of bad sportsmanship that date back to 1994 when he was involved in a series of incidents, culminating in a collision with Damon Hill in the Australian GP, which won Schumacher his first championship title.

Another infamous incident, this time with Jacques Villeneuve (at Jerez in 1997), was blamed on Schumacher and resulted in a one-race ban and the loss of his runner-up status in the drivers' championship.

The following year he again came close, challenging Mika Hakkinen for the title right to the wire at Suzuka.

However, Schumacher's hopes died when he had to start from the back of the field after his car stalled on the grid. Many suspect Schumacher of making a rare mistake - Ferrari blamed the car.

1999 looked as though Schumacher might finally take the drivers' championship back to Maranello.

However a first-lap accident at the British GP left the German with a broken leg.

Despite missing six races, Schumacher returned in style in Malaysia, where he utterly dominated the entire weekend.

A year later Schumacher finally completed the job that he joined Ferrari to do.

He clinched the drivers' championship in Japan, handing the Italian team their first world title for 21 years.

In Malaysia, he went on to complete the double.

Armed with the dominant Ferrari F2001 in 2001 and the F2002 in 2002, Schumacher, who'd previously won world championships in cars that weren't the best, proceeded to rewrite the F1 record books (almost certainly for ever).

He won his fourth title easily in 2001 and cruised to his fifth world title in 2002.

But 2002 wasn't without huge controversy. At the Austrian GP, the sixth race of the year, Ferrari team boss Jean Todt asked team-mate Rubens Barrichello to gift Schumacher the race.

A furious Austrian crowd booed them on and off the podium and Schumacher was so embarrassed he put Barrichello onto the top step to take the winner's trophy.

He was booed heavily in Monaco and Canada afterwards.

Later in the year, at the US GP, it looked to be another Schumi victory when he backed off close to the line, attempting a dead-heat with his team-mate.

It backfired and a surprised Barrichello found himself the winner.

Schumi's success continued in 2003 despite the FIA implementing new rules intended to slow him down and level the playing field.

The season though was a lot closer than the previous one with both McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya still in the running for the title at the penultimate race.

A controversial penalty at the US GP for Montoya however meant only Raikkonen could put an end to Schumacher's run of success.

The Finn, though, needed to win the final race of the season and for Schumi not to score. It was not to be.

Barrichello stormed to the victory and assured his team-mate of his sixth world title.

To be safe though Michael brought his car home in eighth place and won the title by a slim two-point margin, which gave his rivals a glimmer of hope ahead of the following year's championship.

Although Schumi's rivals saw a glimmer of hope ahead of the following year's championship, it was soon extinguished as Michael blitzed the field to win the first five GPs.

Victory number six eluded him when he did or didn't brake-check Montoya in Monte Carlo.

Either way, the result was Schumi crashing into the tunnel walls.

However, his campaign was back on track at the European GP, which was the start of a seven-race long winning streak.

His next non-victory came at the Belgium GP where he finished second behind Raikkonen. The eight points though were enough to ensure the German bagged title number seven.

With the title however came a change of fortune and the remaining four races resulted in just one victory and too many rookie errors for the world champion.

They also yielded his worst-ever qualifying position, a P19 at the inaugural Chinese GP.

That race was also the only one of the 17 that he failed to score a single point in despite reaching the chequered flag.

Schumi's fortunes did not recover in 2005, which saw the rule changes play an important role in the changing of then guard, especially the tyre regulations.

Bridgestone struggled to produce a tyre capable of recording a competitive pace for an entire race distance.

Schumacher’s only win occurred at the United States Grand Prix, which took place sans the Michelin runners who had all withdrawn due to safety concerns.

That win was one of only five podium finishes for the German, who could not nothing to stop Fernando Alonso from ending his five-year reign.

Schumi finished the season third in the drivers’ standings having lost out to Kimi Raikkonen as well.

For 2006 though tyre changes will make a return to Formula One, which could play into Schumi’s hands.

And you can bet that if the rumours of his retirement are true, he'll be doing everything he can to ensure he leaves the sport he has dominated for so many years, with an eighth world title to his name.

Formula One Career:

2006:	GP with Ferrari.
2005:	GP with Ferrari - victory in United States (62pts - 3rd in championship.
2004:	GP with Ferrari - victory in Australia, Malaysia, Bahrain, San Marino, Spain, Europe, Canada, United States, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary and Japan (148pts - WORLD CHAMPION).
2003:	GP with Ferrari - victory in San Marino, Spain, Austria, Italy and the United States (93 pts - WORLD CHAMPION).
2002:	GP with Ferrari - victory in Australia, Brazil, San Marino, Spain, Austria, Canada, Europe, Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Japan (144 pts - WORLD CHAMPION).
2001:	GP with Ferrari - victory in Australia, Malaysia, Spain, Monaco, Europe, France, Hungary, Belgium and Italy (123 pts - WORLD CHAMPION).
2000:	GP with Ferrari - victory in Australia, Brazil, San Marino, Europe, Canada, Italy, United States, Japan, Malaysia (108pts - WORLD CHAMPION).
1999:	GP with Ferrari - victory in San Marino and Monaco (44pts - 5th in championship).
1998:	GP with Ferrari – victory in Argentina, Canada, France, Britain, Hungary and Italy (86pts – second in championship).
1997:	GP with Ferrari - victory in Monaco, Canada, France, Belgium and Japan (78pts - second in world championship - subsequently all points docked. Race results still stand).
1996:	GP with Ferrari - victory in Spain, Belgium and Monza (59pts - 3rd in championship).
1995:	GP with Benetton - victory in Brazil, Spain, Monaco, France, Germany, Belgium, European, and Japan (102pts - WORLD CHAMPION).
1994:	GP with Benetton - victory in Brazil, Pacific, San Marino, Monaco, Canada, France, Hungary and European (92pts - WORLD CHAMPION).
1993:	GP with Benetton - victory in Portugal (52pts - 4th in Championship).
1992:	GP with Benetton - victory in Belgium (53pts - 3rd in championship).
1991:	GP with Jordan (debut race in Belgium).

Background:

1990:	German F3 Champion and winner of Macau F3 race Also driving in SWC for Mercedes, winning in Mexico.
1989:	Third in German F3
1988:	Fourth in German FF1600 second in Euro FF1600
1987:	German and European Kart Champion