Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher , (born the June 30th 1975 with Hürth-Hermülheim, close to Cologne, Germany -) is a German racing driver, who in particular disputed the championship of the world of Formule 1 of 1997 with 2007. In 180 departures 1 Formulates some, it registered a total of 329 points, gained 6 races, took down 27 podiums, signed 6 pole positions and 8 better turns in race. Ralf Schumacher finished twice, in 2001 and 2002, in the 4th place of the championship of the world of the pilots.

Biography

Beginnings

Younger brother of Michael Schumacher, Ralf starts to practice the kart as of the three years age in the town of Kerpen, where his/her parents live. In 1995 it finishes third of the Championnat of Germany de Formule 3 and gains at the end of the season the prestigious Grand Prix of Macao de Formule 3. In 1996, it decides to direct its career towards Japan, where it gains the Japanese championship of Formula with the Japan.

1997-1998: Jordan

Ralf carries out its beginnings Formulates 1 in 1997 of them with Jordan at the time of the Grand Prix of Australia. In spite of its good performances in the lower disciplines (with it is true a material of very first order), the legitimacy of Ralf to be reached the Formula 1, which more is in a as good team as Jordan, is called into question by good number of observers, for which the principal quality of Ralf is especially its prestigious patronym. Called " Mr Frère" by the bed, Ralf however shows undeniable qualities speed while finishing on the podium as of its third race (Grand Prix of Argentina). The continuation of its season is however more delicate since it gradually undergoes the law of its team-member Giancarlo Fisichella, with which it maintains the not very friendly reports/ratios. Ralf also shows in track an ardor sometimes badly controlled: in Argentina, it is at the price of a muscular going beyond on its Fisichella fellow-member that it from there will be conquered its first podium. Then, in Italy, it dispatches out-track very the British Johnny Herbert at high-speed. But it is especially its fixing with his/her Michael brother at the beginning of GP of Luxembourg which remains in the memories. However, the responsibility for the fixing seems to fall on Fisichella, author of a ill-considered operation on Ralf with the first braking.

Always at Jordan in 1998, Ralf carries out a catastrophic beginning of the season (partly ascribable with its stable) which seems to put in danger its future in F1. It must wait the GP of Great Britain, in July, to mark its first point of the year, at the end of a remarkable service under the rain. This race marks the true starting point of its championship and a few weeks later, it finishes 2nd GP of Belgium (behind its team-member Damon Hill) then 3rd of the GP of Italy.

1999-2004: Williams

In 1999 it engages at Williams. At the wheel of a not very competitive car, in particular because of a Supertec engine which shows the weight of the years (it is about the Renault engine of the season 1997), it makes watch of beautiful qualities of finisher and hangs the sixth place of the championship of the pilots, by registering the totality of the points of its team. It goes up to three recoveries on the podium, and passes near to the victory to the GP of Europe, where a puncture obliges it to yield the first place of the race.

In 2000, the development of the new BMW engine does not enable him to cross a new stage. Again, it goes up to three recoveries on the podium, but without never being able to compete with the best. The things change starting from 2001, where the BMW engine is affirmed like the most powerful block of the plate, and where the Michelin tires (whose Williams is the partner n°1) shine on several occasions. Ralf Schumacher gains its first GP with Imola, then repetition in Canada and in Germany. Its victory in Canada particularly notable because is acquired in front of his/her Michael brother. It is the first time of the history of the Formula 1 which two brothers carry out one doubled in race. But in spite of these beautiful results, Ralf (of which Williams-BMW misses reliability and is too much typified " circuit for moteurs") does not manage to play a part in the fight for the championship, which it finishes in 4th position. Its services are also partly eclipsed by those of its new team-member, the Colombian beginner Juan Pablo Montoya. Even if this last proves with final less powerful than Ralf, it shows in track of a brilliance and an audacity which sometimes seem to miss with the German.

In 2002, Ralf Schumacher is essential at the beginning of season on the GP de Malaisie. An exploit which it is unable to renew thereafter, so much the domination of his/her Michael brother and Ferrari is crushing. More annoying, within its own stable, Ralf is gradually made overflow by Montoya which if it does not gain any race, finishes in front of him with the championship.

The season 2003 seems to confirm the stagnation of Williams-BMW. But starting from GP of Monaco, thanks to a perfect adaptation to the new Michelin tires, the single-seaters germano-British are affirmed as the absolute weapon. That from which Ralf profits to start again itself in the race with the world title thanks in particular to two consecutive victories with the Nürburgring and to Magny-Course, two tests where it marks the spirits by dominating Montoya. But the hopes of Ralf are showers by a catastrophic end of season, marked in particular by a severe accident during deprived tests with Monza which obliges it to declare fixed price for the GP of Italy a few days later, because of giddinesses.

In 2004, returned a mean level, Williams does not make it possible Ralf to shine. More serious, because of a puncture, it is victim of a serious accident in the first turns of GP of the United States to Indianapolis, the June 20th. Raised with several fractured vertebrae, Ralf must observe a long convalescence and carries out its return to the competition only for the three last sleeves of the season. By signing convincing a second place on the selective layout of Suzuka, Ralf evacuates all the doubts about its capacity to be controlled with the more high level and reassures at the same time its future employer Toyota with whom Ralf had engaged little of time before its accident.

2005-2007: Toyota

Arrived as envisaged at Toyota in 2005, Ralf knows a first part of delicate season during which it is clearly made dominate of pure speed by its fellow-member Jarno Trulli. Unlucky person, he is also victim of a new large accident in Indianapolis at the time of the first day of tests, in the same turn as the previous year, which it constrained to yield its place to the pilot tester Ricardo Zonta (this accident, caused by a failure of a tire, will be at the origin of the fixed price of the stables equipped with Michelin tires). But it makes profitable its qualities of finisher to take down solids results at the end of the season (in particular a podium with the GP of Hungary and another in China) and to finish in front of Trulli with the championship, in the 6th place. Always at Toyota in 2006, it undergoes the irregular performances of its stable, and in spite of a podium in Australia, one rather discrete season realizes.

In 2007, always in the sides of Jarno Trulli, Ralf Schumacher takes part for the first time in a championship of the world without the presence of his/her famous brother on the grid. German carries out a catastrophic beginning of the season where he never manages to take the measurement of his team-member, in qualification as in race. He announces on October 1st, 2007 that he will at the end of October leave the stable Toyota after the GP of Brazil.

Statistics Formulates 1 of them

( After the Grand Prix of Great Britain 2007 )

disputed Grands Prix : 172
Victories : 6 ( is 3,68% )
marked Points : 324 ( is 1,99 points per disputed race )
Poles Positions : 6 ( is 3,48% )
Départs 1st line : 19 ( is 11,05% )
Second places in Grand Prix : 6 ( is 3,48% )
Third places in Grand Prix : 15 ( is 8,72% )
Podiums : 27 ( is 15,70% )
In the Points : 89 ( is 51,74% )
Meilleurs Turns : 8 ( is 4,65% )
no. races while having carried out : 21 ( is 12,21% )
Tours at the head : 401 ( is 4,57% of the traversed turns )
km at the head : 1.937 ( is 4,59% of the distance covered )
traversed Tours : 8.766
Kms traversed : 42.239
Hats trick ( Victoire/Pole position/Better turn ): 0 ( is 0,00% )
Abandons : 58 ( is 33,72% )

Beginnings in F1 : 1997 - Grand Prix of Australia, on the Melbourne, the March 9th 1997 - ( Result: Abandonment with the 1st turn - Gear box )
First victory : 2001 - Grand Prix of San Marino, on the circuit Dino and Enzo Ferrari, the April 15th 2001
First pole position : 2001 - Grand Prix of France, on the Circuit of Nevers Magny-Course, the 1 {{er}} July 2001

Results in championship of the world of Formula 1

Victories in Championship of the world of Formula 1

See too

Pilot of Formula 1: classification by better Pilot turns
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot podiums
of Formula 1: classification by Pilot poles position
of Formula 1: classification by victories
Michael Schumacher, her brother
List of German sportsmen by discipline

External bond

Official site of Ralf Schumacher

Simple: Ralf Schumacher

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