Michael Schumacher (born January 3, 1969) is a seven-time Formula One World Champion who has raced for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes. He is the older brother of former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, and father of Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 reserve driver Mick Schumacher.
F1 Career and First Retirement
Schumacher made his Formula One debut in 1991 with Jordan as a replacement for Bertrand Gachot at the Belgian Grand Prix. He immediately qualified the midfield car in 7th, but his race lasted less than a lap due to clutch issues. Schumacher was immediately signed by Benetton for the next race and would continue racing with the team until 1995, taking his first two world titles in 1994 and 1995. Scuderia Ferrari signed the German legend in 1996, a partnership that yielded five consecutive world titles from 2000 to 2004. He continued racing for Ferrari until his first retirement in 2006.
Return to F1 and Skiing Accident
Schumacher returned to Formula One with Mercedes from 2010 to 2012 with Nico Rosberg as his teammate. His second F1 stint had mixed results, scoring a single podium at the 2012 European Grand Prix behind Kimi Räikkönen and race winner Fernando Alonso. “Schumi” has been completely out of the public spotlight since a skiing accident in late 2013, and his son Mick Schumacher has also since made his own Formula One debut with Haas F1.
IDM Superbike and MotoGP Test
Also fast on two wheels, Schumacher has competed in IDM Superbike during his first Formula One retirement. He is also no stranger to MotoGP, having famously impressed on Casey Stoner’s title-winning Ducati GP7 with steel brakes in 2007. Schumacher has also previously tested an older 990cc Ducati Desmosedici in 2005.
Omega
Along with his brother Ralf, Schumacher served as an Omega ambassador for several years starting in 1996. A variety of Michael Schumacher edition Speedmaster models were released during that time, perhaps most notably ref 3553.32 that commemorated the German’s sixth world title and was made specifically for his Scuderia Ferrari team.
Girard-Perregaux Commissioned by Jean Todt
While not a production model, the Girard-Perregaux Michael Schumacher from 2002 is also worth a mention. The rare timepiece is based on the Girard-Perregaux vintage Tourbillon automatique model and was commissioned by then-team principal of Scuderia Ferrari Jean Todt to celebrate the German driver’s fifth world title. Todt’s and Schumacher’s names both appear on the case back.
Audemars Piguet
Schumacher became an ambassador for Audemars Piguet ambassador in 2010, resulting in several Michael Schumacher edition Royal Oak models. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher was released in 2015, which began development with Schumacher’s input before his 2013 skiing accident.
2024 Christie’s Auction
In April of 2024, a Christie’s auction revealed two unique personalized watches that had been consigned by the Schumacher family. One was an F.P. Journe Vagabondage 1 from 2004 with a red custom dial featuring a Ferrari logo, Schumacher’s helmet, and seven FIA globes representing each of his world titles. The second was an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph in white gold, with subdials featuring a helmet, a Ferrari logo, and the number 1 surrounded by six stars for the six championships as of the end of 2003. Both were Christmas gifts from Jean Todt. Also included in the auction was a 1971 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona with a ‘Paul Newman’ dial, as well as a complete F.P Journe Ruthenium Collection Set.
References
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport/motogp/2007/november/nov0507michaelschumacherstunsinducati800motogpride/
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6394646
https://italianwatchspotter.com/omega-and-michael-schumacher/?lang=en
https://italianwatchspotter.com/jean-todt-watch-collection-auction/?lang=en
https://www.fratellowatches.com/audemars-piguets-tribute-to-formula-1-driver-michael-schumacher/
https://wristcheck.com/discover/icons/the-most-important-audemars-piguet-watches-ever-created-part-ii
https://www.esquire.com/uk/watches/a60728534/michael-schumachers-watches-auction/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce7Eynr5f4U
https://www.christies.com/en/stories/watch-highlights-from-the-property-of-michael-schumacher-52167d63074144bcb9b57fb30c1d975a