| It was a sad day in the world of automotive | | | | withstood the test of time. Since 1992 when he |
| racing when Michael Schumacher announced his | | | | won his first race, he has won at least one race |
| retirement from competition on September 10, | | | | ever year up to 2006, which is an astounding |
| 2006. | | | | achievement and speaks volumes of his |
| Born in Germany in 1969, Michael Schumacher is | | | | other-worldly abilities. |
| arguably the greatest Formula One race car | | | | There are two things that long-time racing |
| driver who ever lived. He has won the Formula | | | | enthusiasts point to when they assess |
| One world championship seven times, the most | | | | Schumacher's dominance on the race track. |
| by any individual. He also holds a number of other | | | | There's his ability to perform under pressure |
| impressive Formula One records, including most | | | | during the most crucial stretches of the race |
| number of race victories, most number of pole | | | | when he tends to display his fastest laps. There's |
| positions, fastest laps ever and most races won | | | | also his ability to outperform everyone else during |
| in one season. | | | | rainy conditions. This has earned him the title Rain |
| His success on the racing track has also translated | | | | King, which is "Regenkonig" in German. |
| into a ton of wealth for the German icon, who | | | | On the other hand, rivals accuse Schumacher of |
| also happens to be the only native of Germany | | | | being overly ruthless on the race track to the |
| to ever win the F1 championship. In terms of | | | | point of being unsportsmanlike, which has been a |
| earnings, Eurobusiness magazine estimates that | | | | source of some controversy, although it must be |
| Schumacher has won over a billion dollars in | | | | pointed out that most fans believe this is just an |
| Formula One competition, making him the world's | | | | overblown case of sour graping. Critics are quick |
| first athlete to win over a billion dollars. It speaks | | | | point to the 1997 championship where |
| volumes of the man that he has donated tens of | | | | Schumacher was stripped of his runner-up finish |
| millions of his winnings to various charities and | | | | when judges said he deliberately drove into |
| humanitarian causes all over the world. | | | | Jacques Villeneuve, his main rival for the |
| Schumacher has also proven that his abilities have | | | | championship, in the season's last race. |