In the history of F1, there are very few drivers like Michael Schumacher. One could argue that there never was nor will there ever be another driver like him. Although he left the sport after the 2012 season, he left behind records that are yet to be beaten. One of the major records he set was for drivers’ championship titles. Schumacher had scored seven by the 2004 season. In 2020, that record was equaled by Lewis Hamilton. However, there are a few other achievements that the German driver secured that look hard to beat.
5. Michael Schumacher has the highest percentage of podiums in a season (100%)
At the end of the 2002 Formula 1 season, Michael Schumacher had been on the podium at the end of every race. Driving for Ferrari, his lowest finish that season was P3 at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Given that there was always a chance of accidents, retirements, and other issues, Schumacher managed to score a top-three result 17 out of 17 times.
Max Verstappen came close to beating the former Ferrari driver’s record in 2023. It was a season that saw Verstappen dominate, winning almost every race or finishing in second. But a P5 finish in Singapore stopped him from equalizing the record. Since it was 21 podiums out of 22 races, he finished with a result of 95%.
4. Fastest Laps (77)
Over his illustrious career in F1, Michael Schumacher achieved a total of 77 fastest laps. He scored his highest number in a single season during the 2004 season. Even in his final season, driving for Mercedes, he managed to add another one to his record at the race in Germany. Lewis Hamilton is only nine fastest laps off from Schumacher’s record. He recently achieved the fastest lap at the Chinese Grand Prix, so he might be on his way to breaking the record. But, it still might be a season or two away.
3. Michael Schumacher has the most Fastest Laps in the season
Apart from holding the record for the most number of fastest laps ever scored, Michael Schumacher also holds the record for the most number of fastest laps in a single season. At the end of 2004, the German driver had managed to achieve 10 fastest laps out of the 18 races he participated in. Again, Verstappen got close to him in 2023, but he only achieved nine fastest laps at the end of his dominant year.
2. Most Hat-tricks (22)
In F1, a hat-trick is defined by a driver achieving the pole position, the win of the race, and the fastest lap. Unsurprisingly, Michael Schumacher reigns supreme with this record. Throughout his career, he achieved 22 hat tricks. Meanwhile, Hamilton and Verstappen, who have had their dominant seasons in the sport, only have 19 and 13, respectively. While the Briton or the Dutchman can catch up, their recent results might indicate that the record is safe for a while.
1. Consecutive Drivers’ Championship Title wins (5)
Apart from being one of two drivers with the most number of drivers’ championship titles to their name, Michael Schumacher has also win the most consecutively. He won five championships back-to-back from 2000 to 2004. Verstappen might close in on him by the end of 2025, given that he’s won four championships successively from 2021 to 2024. However, he currently sits in P3 the standings, 49 points away from the top spot.
