F1 | Spa, “love and love” track for Michael Schumacher

Over the weekend, Formula One reopens its doors, after the usual August break, making a stop at one of the most legendary and history-rich tracks: Spa-Francorchamps. Among the splendid ups and downs immersed in the Ardennes there is a driver who, more than any other, has linked his name to this route: Michael Schumacher.

Precisely in Spa, where he holds the record for successes (seven victories), the German's career experienced unique, extraordinary and exhilarating moments which were however counterbalanced by authentic days to forget.

Schumi's first "cry" in Formula One took place in Spa in August 1991, when Jordan hired him to replace Bertrand Gachot who was arrested in London following a fight with a taxi driver. The young Michael does not seem to pay the price of his debut and signs a surprising seventh time in qualifying, beating teammate Andrea De Cesaris by over seven tenths.

On Sunday, however, his race lasted a few metres, due to a clutch failure which forced him to retire. The talent of that 22-year-old German did not go unnoticed despite the stoppage, with Flavio Briatore hiring him shortly afterwards at Benetton in place of Roberto Moreno.

It was with the Italian team that the first historic success in Formula One arrived a year later in Spa.

However, Schumacher achieved the real feat in 1995, with a great comeback from behind culminating with a decisive overtaking on Damon Hill in a race conditioned by the vagaries of the Belgian weather: a real revenge for the German, after the disqualification received the previous year due to the excessive wear of the bottom of his Benetton.

The two-year period 1996-97 once again smiled on Schumi who won Spa at the wheel of Ferrari. In '98 the rodeo staged in Belgium did not spare the German, the victim of a real prank due to contact with David Coulthard which deprived him of an almost certain victory. What happens shortly afterwards, with the German barely held back by the men on the wall of the Red in the McLaren garage, are now scenes that have rightfully entered the scrapbook of the most nostalgic Formula One fans. 20 years after the incident he still continues to talk about it...

The 2000 race was also bitter for Schumi where he was the "victim" of the overtaking (defined by critics as one of the best ever in the history of the Circus) suffered by Mika Hakkinen on the long Kemmel straight, with Ricardo Zonta in the middle as supporting actor. But at the end of that season it will be the German and Ferrari who will rejoice.

The new millennium marks the beginning of the golden cycle of Ferrari which with Schumi conquered the top step of the podium at Spa in 2001 and 2002, followed by the very sweet second place in 2004 thanks to which the German put his signature on the his seventh and last world title.

"Simply the best” reads the sign displayed by the mechanics from the pit wall while Michael passes under the checkered flag: a few simple words designed to summarize the reality of things.