Michael Schumacher, 2014-06-16 - Formula 1, Schumacher out of coma, leaves hospital

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2014/6/15951.html?utm_source=Twitterfeed&utm_medium=Twitter-F1&utm_campaign=Latest+Headlines

Schumacher out of coma, leaves hospital

16 Jun 2014

Michael Schumacher, who suffered serious head injuries in a skiing accident last December, is no longer in a coma, according to his management.

Furthermore, the seven-time world champion has now left Grenoble’s University Hospital in France to ‘continue his long phase of rehabilitation’.

“His family would like to explicitly thank all his treating doctors, nurses and therapists in Grenoble as well as the first aiders at the place of the accident, who did an excellent job in those first months,” read a statement.

“The family also wishes to thank all the people who have sent Michael all the many good wishes to Michael. We are sure it helped him.”

Schumacher, 45, was placed in an induced coma after falling and hitting his head on a rock during a family ski trip. The German’s medical team began reducing his sedation at the end of January.

“For the future we ask for understanding that his further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye,” concluded Monday’s statement.

With seven drivers’ titles, 91 Grand Prix victories and 68 pole positions, Schumacher remains the most successful driver in Formula One history. He retired at the end of the 2012 season.

For more information, see Schumacher’s Hall of Fame profile.

For tickets to 2014 FORMULA 1 races, click here.
For FORMULA 1 merchandise, click here.

Formula 1, 2014-03-12 - What’s in a number? The truth behind the drivers’ new digits

http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2014/3/15544.html?utm_source=Twitterfeed&utm_medium=Twitter-F1&utm_campaign=Latest+Features

What’s in a number? The truth behind the drivers’ new digits

For the past 18 years, the numbers that each team carries on their cars has been determined by constructors’ championship results. This season, however, each driver has been allowed to pick a race number that they’ll then use for the rest of their careers.

But how did the current Formula One grid arrive at the digits that will become part of their identity? Ahead of the season opener in Australia, we delve into the details…

Sebastian Vettel - 1 (and 5)
As the reigning world champion, Vettel had the option to continue carrying the prestigious number one on his car, something he duly accepted. Should he fail to claim a fifth consecutive championship title in 2014, however, the German will revert to his chosen career number: five. Vettel had the number five on his Red Bull car in 2010 - the year he won his first championship - and in 2001 when he was racing karts.

Daniel Ricciardo - 3
Whereas the previous Australian incumbent at Red Bull was, for better or for worse, associated with the number two, the latest Aussie has plumped to carry the number three. “It was my first ever number in karting and I was also a fan of (late NASCAR racer) Dale Earnhardt,” Ricciardo has said.

Lewis Hamilton - 44
Like the majority of F1 drivers, the Mercedes star began his racing career in karting, and it’s from there that the Hamilton has plucked his new (or should that be old?) number. Hamilton ran the number 44 when he won the cadet class of the British karting championship in 1995.

Nico Rosberg - 6
Why did the German choose number six? Well, as he confirmed on his Twitter account, it’s his future wife's and his dad's lucky number. “It has got to work for me too!” he joked. If the number is as lucky for Nico as it was for his father he’ll be smiling - Keke Rosberg won the 1982 world championship with the number six on his Williams.

Fernando Alonso - 14
Like rival Lewis Hamilton, the Spaniard has turned to his karting days for the inspiration behind his new number. “It has always brought me luck, dating back to 14th July 1996 when, at the age of 14, I won the world championship in a kart that had the number 14. Let’s see if it will still bring me luck.”

Kimi Raikkonen - 7
Last year Raikkonen carried the number seven to fifth place in the drivers’ championship and the Finn has since decided to stick with the number for the rest of his career. Like many drivers, he's even added his new digit to his helmet design. Marussia’s Jules Bianchi was also keen on the number, but Raikkonen got the nod by virtue of his higher championship finish in 2013.

Romain Grosjean - 8
The Lotus driver took to Twitter to express his delight at securing his first number choice: eight (or #r8main as he put it). Like former team mate Raikkonen, Grosjean is staying with the number he ran in 2013, his most successful season to date. But the number has more significance for the Frenchman than that. “My wife was born the 8th of December, we started dating in 2008 and to my eyes my son is the 8th wonder of the world,” he said on his Facebook page.

Pastor Maldonado - 13
Racing drivers can be a superstitious lot, but clearly Pastor Maldonado is not a triskaidekaphobe because he’s opted to race with the number 13 - a figure considered unlucky in many countries (though, it must be pointed out, lucky in others). The superstition surrounding the number 13 is thought to date back to pre-war racing and has generally been avoided in F1 competition. The only driver to have entered a world championship Grand Prix with 13 on his car was Mexican racer Moises Solana, whose BRM carried the number in his home race in 1963. Was it unlucky for him? Perhaps - he qualified 11th and was the last classified finisher (also in 11th) after his engine blew with eight laps to go. Let’s hope the number proves luckier for Maldonado who says it has a long history in Venezuelan sport…

Jenson Button - 22
Like many of his compatriots, Button has opted for a race number associated with a good time in his career. In the Englishman’s case, that’s 22 - the number that adorned his Brawn GP car during his 2009 championship-winning season. Coincidentally, 22 was also on Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren during his 2008 title run.

Kevin Magnussen - 20
The Dane comes to F1 fresh from winning the Formula Renault 3.5 title in 2013 with the number 20 on his car, so it’s rather appropriate that he’ll carry the number in his debut season with McLaren in 2014.

Nico Hulkenberg - 27
The number 27 is perhaps one of the most evocative in Formula One history, having become associated with Ferrari’s swashbuckling hero Gilles Villeneuve and latterly with another Scuderia favourite, Jean Alesi. World champions Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Alan Jones and Nigel Mansell all also carried the number at different points during their careers, so Hulkenberg is joining an elite club. According to the German, it’s simply “a cool number”.

Sergio Perez - 11
Like Hamilton and Alonso, Perez has chosen to spend the rest of his career carrying the number he used in the early stages of his career. “I always had 11 in karting and actually even my email address has 11 in it,” revealed the Mexican recently.

Adrian Sutil - 99
The FIA allowed drivers to choose a number between two and 99 and whilst no one plumped for the lower number, Sutil has grabbed the highest. The number 99 was featured in the world championship before, at the 1951 Indianapolis 500 on the car of race winner Lee Wallard. However, as that race was not run to F1 rules, Sutil will have the honour of being the first person to race with it on a Grand Prix car.

Esteban Gutierrez - 21
The Mexican kept things simple when it came to choosing his new race number. “21 - my lucky number,” he Tweeted. You can’t argue with that. Coincidentally, 21 was also Gutierrez’s age when he started in F1 racing.

Jean-Eric Vergne - 25
The number 25 was the Frenchman’s first choice as he was born on April 25. He also carried the number during his earliest days in karting.

Daniil Kvyat - 26
In a stroke of strange coincidence, Vergne’s Russian team mate Kvyat was born on April 26, so the Toro Rosso youngster has opted for that number. It means that the Italian team are one of only two squads to retain consecutive numbering. “I also competed in my first karting event in Russia with that number,” said Kvyat. “But there’s not much history behind it and I’m looking forward to making something of that number as I start my F1 career.”

Felipe Massa - 19
Massa’s title success in Euro Formula 3000 in 2001 was significant - it earned the Brazilian an F1 test with Sauber. The rest, as they say, is history. The number he used in 2001? 19, a number his uncle had used when racing and one that young Felipe adopted in karting. Perhaps it’s no surprise that Massa has claimed the number for his 2014 championship challenge with Williams.

Valtteri Bottas - 77
The Finn has gone for number 77 after floating the idea on Twitter with the hashtag ‘BO77AS’. We’ve got to hand it to him - he was clearly thinking outside the box.

Jules Bianchi - 17
The Frenchman was perhaps the unluckiest driver in the number stakes. Bianchi’s three choices were 7, 27 and 77, but all were taken by drivers who finished above him in the 2013 standings. Instead, the Marussia man will use 17.

Max Chilton - 4
Like Williams’ Valtteri Bottas, Chilton has opted to use a number which works as a substitute letter. So, on Twitter at least, Chilton is no longer MAX, but M4X.

Kamui Kobayashi - 10
The popular Japanese driver made his Formula One racing debut with Toyota back in 2009. Guess which number was on his car? That’s right, the number 10.

Marcus Ericsson - 9
With Kobayashi choosing 10 it was particularly apt that rookie team mate Ericsson plumped for number 9, a digit he simply likes. It means that Caterham join Toro Rosso as the only teams that are running consecutive numbers.

Michael Schumacher Retires this year, 2006-09-11

As you know I love Formula 1 and my favourite driver is and always was Michael Schumacher.
Yesterday "Schumi" after winning the Monza Grand Prix (Italy) finaly said that he will retire at the end of this season. With 3 more races to go. He also said that he will try to end his career with 3 wins on the 3 races.
We will miss you.



http://www.eurosport.com/formula1/italian-gp/2006/sport_sto961990.shtml

Michael Schumacher’s reign as the top Grand Prix driver of the last 10 years comes to an end in little over a months time, but where does the German rank amongst the greats? eurosport.com readers have been emailing in their suggestions all day.

A man who will be remembered as much for his immense speed and sensational car control as for the numerous controversial incidents that has blighted his career, Schumacher will retire at the end of this season to be replaced at Ferrari by Kimi Raikkonen.

Since making his debut in the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, Schumacher has put his name on almost every Formula One record, with Fernando Alonso's title as the youngest world champion the only significant stat that eludes him.

Schumacher has started 247 Grands Prix, winning 90. He has also taken 68 pole positions, 75 fastest laps and scored 2,154 points.

As well as that, he has collected seven world titles including five in a row between 2000 and 2004 and dominated every team-mate he's ever had.

But how does he compare to the sport's other great names.?

Would he have beaten Juan Manuel Fangio, Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost or Ayrton Senna in equal machinery while all were at their peak?

We appealed to Formula One fans across Europe and were overwhelmed with the response that saw at least 60 per cent of voters nominating Schumacher as the greatest driver in Formula One history.

Here are some of the top fives we recieved. Go to the bottom of the page to see the drivers ranked.

Ene Alexandru (Bucharest): Michael Schumahcer, Ayrton Senna, Jackie Stewart, Juan Manuel Fangio, Alain Prost.

Oto (Tiblisi): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Fangio, Niki Lauda.

Ray Cattini (London): Ronnie Peterson, Jim Clark, Alberto Ascari, Fangio, Stewart.

Radu Chirila (Cluj-Napoca): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Lauda, Fangio.

Stanislav Raykov (Europe): Senna, Fangio, Schumacher, Prost, Mika Hakkinen.

Carl Barenbrug (Edinburgh): Schumacher, Senna, Stewart, Fernando Alonso, Fangio

Alam Alsous (Vojvodina): Schumacher, Senna, Fangio, Prost, Stewart.

Jelic Branislav (Becej): Senna, Fangio, Prost, Schumacher, Stirling Moss.

Stijepo Letunic (Dubrovnik): Nigel Mansell, Senna, Schumacher, Prost, Lauda.

Wouter Nagel (Groningen): Senna, Schumacher, Fangio, Clark, Jos Verstappen.

Manoiu Marius (Constanta): Schumacher, Senna, Lauda, Mansell, Ascari.

Jurgen Kolenda (Frankfurt): Schumacher, Fangio, Prost, Senna, Stewart.

Izuchukwu Ig (Lagos): Schumacher, Prost, Senna, Stewart, Mario Andretti.

Zara (Bucharest): Schumacher, Senna, Fangio, Emerson Fittipaldi, Lauda.

J.Mark (Europe): Kimi Raikkonen, Senna, Hakkinen, Schumacher, Prost.

Linda Jansone (Riga): Schumacher, Senna, Lauda, Fangio, Prost.

Affa Mustaffa (Europe): Schumacher, Schumacher, Schumacher, Senna, Prost.

Rad Victor (Cluj-Napoca): Senna, Fangio, Prost, Stewart, Lauda.

Kulcsar Tamas (Budapest): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Fangio, Nelson Piquet.

Dana Daneshvari (Basel): Schumacher, Senna, Fangio, Prost, Stewart.

Mauro Onori (Stockholm): Schumacher, Fangio, Senna, Ascari, Prost.

Dany Kattar (Canada): Schumacher, Prost, Fangio, Senna, Stewart.

Zlatko Bocov (Serbia): Schumacher, Senna, Lauda, Hakkinen, Raikkonen.

Kiril Angeloff (Venezuela): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Lauda, Fangio

Kev Perry (England): Schumacher, Prost, Senna, Lauda, Piquet.

Sergiu Calin (Romania): Senna, Prost, Schumacher, Fangio, Mansell

Bruno Trapan (Pula): Senna, Ascari, Prost, Raikkonen, Schumacher.

Al Mexican (Estonia): Senna, Schumacher, Fangio, Prost, Gilles Villeneuve.

Philip Lamotte (London): Schumacher, Senna, Fangio, Prost, Lauda.

Adis Mulahasic (Jacksonville): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Fangio, Hakkinen.

Michal Mazur (Poland): Senna, Robert Kubica, Alonso, Prost, Lauda.

Stefan Muresanu (Bucharest): Schumacher, Schumacher, Schumacher, Schumacher, Fangio.

Pavel (Riga): Senna, Prost, Fangio, Stewart, Clark.

Alexandru Druduman (Bucharest): Senna, Schumacher, Lauda, Fangio, Piquet.

Alex Siclovan (Iasi): Schumacher, Lauda, Senna, Hakkinen, Jean Alesi.

Michael (Riga): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Fangio, Hakkinen.

Bahaa (Dubai): Senna, Schumacher, Stewart, Fangio, Prost

Rodger Baker (Kansas): Fangio, Clark, Moss, Senna, Schumacher

Elias Abi Abdallah (Toulouse): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Fangio, Hakkinen.

Eki Ehizele (Benin City): Schumacher, Senna, Fangio, Prost, Fittipaldi.

Florin Stefanescu (Bucharest): Schumacher, Senna, Lauda, Prost, Fangio.

Zulkarnain Jalil (Aceh): Schumacher, Prost, Fangio, Lauda.

Borislav Mourdzhev (Sofia): Schumacher, Senna, Hakkinen, Prost, Lauda.

Milan Jovanovic and Gornji Milanovac (Europe): Prost, Senna, Alesi, Patrick Depailler, Jacques Villeneuve.

Joseph Ghanime (Lebanon): Schumacher, Schumacher, Schumacher, Schumacher&helliper. Schumacher.

Bakhodir Shavketov (Tashkent): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Stewart, Hakkinen.

Immer Cardona (Valletta): Senna, Schumacher, Fangio, Prost, Mansell.

Kliton Ikonomi (Unknown): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Fangio, Lauda.

Elena (Sofia): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Lauda, Fangio.

Viljem Rome (Ljubljana): Schumacher, Senna, Prost, Fangio, Ascari.

Jeremy Amer (Vienna): Schumacher, Mansell, Lauda, Senna, Stewart.

Florescu Alexandru (Romania): Fangio, Senna, Hakkinen, Raikkonen, Prost.

So here they are, in order, the greatest Formula One drivers of all time according to eurosport.com readers. Unsurprisinly Schumacher comes out on top, although there are some interesting suggestions and some notable absences. We've awarded F1-style points (10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1) to give them an order. Thanks to everyone who took part.

1. Michael Schumacher 430pts

2. Ayrton Senna 399

3. Juan Manuel Fangio 229

4. Alain Prost 223

5. Niki Lauda 96

6. Jackie Stewart 64

7. Mika Hakkinen 48

8. Nigel Mansell 31

9. Jim Clark 25

10. Alberto Ascari/Kimi Raikkonen 19

12. Stiring Moss 18

13. Ronnie Peterson 14

14. Nelson Piquet 12

15. Fernando Alonso 11

16. Emerson Fittipaldi/Jean Alesi 10

18. Robert Kubica 8

19. Patrick Depailler 5

20. Gilles Villeneuve/Jacques Villeneuve/Mario Andretti/Jos Verstappen 4

SCHUMI EQUALS A LEGEND

http://www.eurosport.com/formula1/bahrain-gp/2006/sport_sto848405.shtml

SCHUMI EQUALS A LEGEND



Eurosport - Barry Thomas - 11/03/2006

Michael Schumacher has taken pole position for Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix after an enthralling qualifying session on Ssaturday, equalling Ayrton Senna's record of 65 poles. The German had to pull out a late flyer to beat team-mate Felipe Massa into second with Honda's Jenson Button third.

The new qualifying session can only be described as a huge hit after spectators, drivers and teams were left on a knife edge throughout the one-hour session. "I love it," said Honda sporting director Gil de Ferran. "I spent an hour without breathing. It was on a knife edge throughout."



It didn't take long for the suspense to set in as the leading drivers, for some reason or other, decided to wait until the dying moments of the first session before setting a time, and just as they were about to go out, Kimi Raikkonen brought everything to a halt when the rear suspension collapsed on his McLaren, leaving him last on the grid.

The drivers flooded out on track for a final run as only four laps remaining, causing Ralf Schumacher to miss the passage into the second phase as he qualified 17th. He was joined by Christijan Albers, Tiago Monteiro, Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide with Raikkonen last.

Into the second session, which was this time uninterrupted, but saw Jacques Villeneuve pushed from the safety of tenth to eleventh by team-mate Nick Heidfeld. Nico Rosberg, David Coulthard, Jarno Trulli, Vito Liuzzi and Scott Speed also failed to make it through to the final shootout.

The final twenty minute session is dictated by the introduction of fuel into the lottery. The remaining ten drivers began by burning off fuel before coming into the pits for fresh tyres in order to set a banker, and with just three minutes remaining, come in again for new tyres and a two lap burst.

Ferrari, who either judged the balance perfectly or were running light, gave Michael Schumacher the first chance to go for pole before he was beaten to P1 by team-mate Felipe Massa. Schumacher retaliated with the fastest lap on his second flying run, taking pole by just 0.05 seconds to equal Ayrton Senna's record of 65 poles.



"It's an amazing result. All winter we knew we seemed to have a good package but then you wait for the final confirmation. Here we have the confirmation," Schumacher said. "It's a nice way to be back and a great feeling."

The result was obviously aided by Ferrari's nine-day test at the same circuit last month, with Britain's Jenson Button - who also tested at Sakhir - finished third on the grid, alongside Renault's defending world champion Fernando Alonso.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya was fifth for McLaren, ahead of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, with Mark Webber a fine seventh for Williams. Austrian Christian Klien was eighth for Red Bull, with Giancarlo Fisichella a disappointing ninth after he suffered enigne problems.

Formula 1 Calendar and Drivers 2006

Formula 1

Calendar 2006
Date
12/03 Bahrain GP Manama
19/03 Malaysia GP Sepang
02/04 Australian GP Melbourne
23/04 San Marino GP Imola
07/05 European GP Nürburgring
14/05 Spanish GP
28/05 Monaco GP Monte Carlo
11/06 British GP Silverstone
25/06 Canadian GP Montreal
02/07 American GP Indianapolis
16/07 French GP Magny-Cours
30/07 German GP Hockenheim
06/08 Hungarian GP Hungaroring
27/08 Turkish GP Istanbul
10/09 Italian GP Monza
01/10 Chinese GP Shanghai
08/10 Japanese GP Suzuka
22/10 Brazilian GP Interlagos

Drivers 2006
Team N° Driver Car
Renault R26
1 Fernando Alonso (ESP)
2 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
McLaren MP4-21
3 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN)
4 Juan Pablo Montoya (COL)
Ferrari 248 F1
5 Michael Schumacher (GER)
6 Felipe Massa (BRA)
Toyota TF106
7 Ralf Schumacher (GER)
8 Jarno Trulli (ITA)
Williams FW28
9 Mark Webber (AUS)
10 Nico Rosberg (GER)
Honda RA106
11 Rubens Barrichello (BRA)
12 Jenson Button (GBR)
Red Bull RB2
14 David Coulthard (GBR)
15 Christian Klien (AUT)
BMW Sauber F1.06
16 Nick Heidfeld (GER)
17 Jacques Villeneuve (CAN)
Midland M16
18 Tiago Monteiro (POR)
19 Christijan Albers (NED)
Toro Rosso STR01
20 Vitantanio Liuzzi (ITA)
21 Scott Speed (USA)
Super Aguri SA05
22 Takuma Sato (JPN)
23 Yuji Ide (JPN)