F1 | French GP, Michael Schumacher “supremacy”

Over the weekend Formula One will once again stop in Europe for the French Grand Prix, back on the calendar after a ten-year absence. But it won't be the Magny-Cours track that will host the Circus, but rather the track of Paul ricard.

The statistics of the transalpine race speak clearly and unequivocally: the driver who boasts the greatest number of successes is Michael Schumacher. In fact, the German achieved 8 victories in 15 participations, all held on the Magny-Course track.

Schumi's first success dates back to the 1994 season. A triumph built at the start, when he managed to overtake poleman Damon Hill and then managed the race until the checkered flag. The following year the German was again on the top step of the podium, once again preceding the Williams-Renault of his British rival.

Having closed the 1996 edition with a retirement, caused by the failure of the engine on his F310 on the reconnaissance lap, after the pole achieved the previous day, Schumacher savored his first joy on French soil with Ferrari in 1997. A weekend that saw him absolute protagonist with an extraordinary hat-trick (pole, victory and fastest lap).

Also in 1998 Michael "monopolised" first place, with a success built at the start (there were two starts, the first aborted because Jos Verstappen caused the engine of his Stewart to stall, ed.) where he mocked Mika Hakkinen's McLaren-Mercedes. At the end of the race, Ferrari achieved an extraordinary one-two, with a stoic Eddie Irvine managing to tame the Finn's Silver Arrow in the final corners, while Schumi achieved his 30th career victory.

The second "encore" in Red was offered by the German in the two-year period 2001-2002. This was a historic triumph, which allowed Schumi to become world champion for the fifth time, equaling a legend like Juan Manuel Fangio.

Kaiser's last two successes in France date back to 2004 (a masterpiece GP built on four stops, ed.) and 2006, a race in which he achieved his twenty-second and final hat trick of his career.