With seven titles, Michael Schumacher is, together with Lewis Hamilton, the most successful driver in Formula 1 history. The road to his first world championship in 1994 was one of the rockiest. In the end, the decision was made in a curious way.
Eight grueling, emotional and sometimes tragic months and 15 intense races lay behind the Formula 1 drivers on November 13, 1994, who were preparing for the last start of the year. In Adelaide, the whole season culminated in a real showdown between the two best drivers of the year.
On one side was Brit Damon Hill. The Williams driver came to Australia with a lot of tailwind and four wins from the previous five races. Before the last race, Hill had reduced the gap to championship leader Michael Schumacher to 91:92.
Schumacher, on the other hand, caught himself just in time for the season finale. After zeros in Belgium, Italy and Portugal, the then 25-year-old won the European Grand Prix and took second place in Japan.
Pure joy with Michael Schumacher
The calculation before the final race was simple, at least from Schumacher’s point of view: he has to finish ahead of Damon Hill to win the title. The Benetton driver fulfilled his duty in qualifying. Pole position went to Nigel Mansell, but in second place Schumacher was ahead of his big opponent, who started the race in third place.
What ultimately happened on the Adelaide Street Circuit on Sunday would ultimately go down in World Championship history as one of the most dramatic decisions of all time.
“I didn’t know what happened to Damon”
When Schumacher was later asked about the decisive situation and the crash with Damon Hill, he described his feelings as follows: “I didn’t know what happened to Damon, but of course I knew that we both had a big lead over fourth-fifth – and sixth place, so it shouldn’t be a problem for Damon to close that one point advantage I had.”
It was only when a marshal informed him that Damon Hill had also given up the race that the German’s helplessness dissolved into pure joy.
It was the start of an era that Formula 1 had never seen before. The German was to secure six more world titles over the years – an unrivaled mark to this day. The race in Adelaide in 1994 is just one of many chapters. Albeit one of the strangest kind.
Christian Schenzel