With this special day at the latest he has proven it to all his critics! On October 8, 2000, Michael Schumacher not only won the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, but also his first drivers’ world championship with Ferrari. With this race, Schumi finally became one of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time.
Years later, the Kerpener himself spoke to the “BBC” about “perhaps the best race” of his career: “I drove at the limit the whole time, everything worked perfectly and the result was also right.”
Indeed it has. The Suzuka race was an absolute masterpiece for the Ferrari star, who had to wait five years for his third drivers’ title since moving from Benetton to Scuderia.
In the penultimate World Championship race of the season, Schumacher forced an early decision with his third victory in a row, after the World Championship had almost been lost to Mika Häkkinen just three races earlier in Belgium. At Spa-Francorchamps, the Finn had perhaps turned things around in the World Championship battle with perhaps the best overtaking maneuver of all time.
In qualifying, World Cup rivals are only separated by a blink of an eye
Already in qualifying on Saturday in Suzuka it was clear how close things would be between rivals Schumacher and Häkkinen this time. With a lead of just nine thousandths of a second, Schumi secured pole ahead of the Finn in the McLaren-Mercedes.
After the start, the reigning champion pushed past the German. 53 laps followed, all of which were dominated by the World Championship duel. The entire remaining field of drivers was left far behind, while Schumacher and Häkkinen fought for the driver’s crown as the rain began to fall.
Ferrari’s 21-year dry spell ended
The decision was made on lap 40, when Schumi came into the pits for the second and final time. After a tough in-lap, the then 31-year-old gained the necessary seconds lead to get back on the track ahead of Mika Häkkinen’s Silver Arrow. Germany’s athlete of the century later described this moment as the “most beautiful moment of his career.”
The final laps were like a triumphant ride, in the end Schumacher crossed the finish line 1.8 seconds ahead of his World Championship rival.
The cheers that followed knew no bounds. The first drivers’ title since Jody Scheckter in 1979 ended a 21-year drought for Scuderia Ferrari and at the same time marked the beginning of the greatest era in Formula 1 history. Schumacher followed his first championship with the Italian racing team four more times and became the most successful racing driver of all time in the following years.
It was absolute satisfaction for Schumacher after four seasons at Ferrari, which were repeatedly marked by setbacks. The decent debut year of 1996, which was seen as a year of development, was followed by the hot World Cup fight with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997, which ended with the disgrace of Jerez and the withdrawal of all World Cup points.
After winning the Japanese GP, the Ferrari team celebrates the world championship title
In 1998, Schumi’s freak out in Spa after the spectacular Coulthard crash, which ultimately cost him the world title, is particularly remembered. Then in 1999 came the horror season with the serious accident at Silverstone, when the biggest German sports star broke his tibia and fibula and was out injured for months.
But then finally the redeeming world title. After crossing the finish line, the Italian racing team’s celebration knew no bounds. A huge party in bright red took place on the podium, in the paddock and the pit lane and then in the famous log cabins next to the track. In 2000, Michael Schumacher was back on the Formula 1 Olympus.
Mats-Yannick Roth
Source: www.sport.de
