F1 | Spanish GP 1996: Schumacher's first historic victory in Ferrari

There are feats that remain engraved in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts. Memorials which, despite the inexorable passage of time, are not scratched or yellowed by the album of memories. Like Michael Schumacher's first historic victory in Ferrari, achieved by the German on the Catalan Montmelò track on Sunday 2 June 1996.

The two events preceding that Spanish Grand Prix had offered a strong Ferrari on the flying lap (Schumacher had in fact achieved the two consecutive poles in Imola and Monte Carlo, in the latter case with an admirable magic in the third sector of the Monegasque track, ed.) but not up to par in the race, also thanks to the German's less than stellar starts and his retirement after a few corners in Monaco. But now the time is ripe for that great leap called victory.

On Saturday qualifying at Montmelò, Williams-Renault shines again on the track, monopolizing the entire front row of the grid with Damon Hill ahead of his younger teammate Jacques Villeneuve. Behind them is Schumacher's Ferrari F310, which has a heavy gap from the best performance achieved by the first of the FW18s: over nine tenths.

The feedback provided at the end of the official tests leaves, at least on paper, no chance of success for Ferrari and Michael. But there is a variable, which would have manifested itself within a few hours, subverting the forces on the track: the rain.

In fact, the bad weather hit the Montmelò area violently on Saturday evening, forcing the riders to take part in the warm-up and race on a wet track. And it is precisely in extreme conditions that the pilot's handle emerges.

As happens for a driver with crystalline class like Michael.

However, the start was not the most memorable for Schumacher who, thanks to a clutch problem, lost several positions and slipped from third place to twelfth.

The German thus sinks to the center of the group, giving rise to an extraordinary comeback, despite the poor visibility, which leads him in just a few laps to recover position after position up to the lead of the race obtained on the twelfth lap, when he gets rid of Villeneuve's Williams at the hairpin , where he had previously also targeted Jean Alesi's Benetton.

The prodigious rewarded it is so accomplished. Ferrari number 1 took the lead in the Spanish GP standings and never left it until the checkered flag, despite an engine power problem.

Despite the storm, Schumacher was the protagonist of an authentic demonstration of strength in the wet, painting admirable trajectories among the streams of water on the Catalan track.

As demonstrated by the merciless gaps placed on the competition: Alesi 2nd gets 45", Villeneuve 3rd 48". All the remaining drivers who reached the finish line were lapped instead.

In his sixth race in Ferrari, Schumacher gave himself his first victory (of 72) in red.

It is the beginning of the myth, of an extraordinary love story that will lead the German and Ferrari to dominate the Formula One scene only a few years later.