Ex Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has shared a surprising anecdote about a night out with Michael Schumacher.
Few drivers have left their mark on F1 as much as Michael Schumacher. Especially in the first decade of this century, there was no limit to Schumacher’s dominance together with Ferrari.
In that period he went from two world titles, which he already had during his time with the Benetton team, to seven world titles, which made him the record champion, meanwhile shared with Lewis Hamilton. The name Michael Schumacher will therefore forever be relevant in Formula 1.
He has seven world titles to his name, 91 race victories, 68 pole positions and has been on the podium 155 times.
On the other hand, Schumacher was also known for causing controversy on a regular basis. All this was determined by his inexhaustible drive to win, the boundaries of sportsmanship were regularly tested.
Off the track, Schumacher was a completely different person, especially a warm person who valued family values. Despite their on-track rivalry, Juan Pablo Montoya recently shared a surprising anecdote that offers a glimpse into Schumacher’s more social side.
“The only time I spoke to Michael I was driving for BMW and he was still at Ferrari,” Montoya said during the Beyond The Grid podcast.
“Norbert Haug, then vice president of the engine department at Mercedes, invited us to a party after the race at the Nürburgring
I said yes, because we were staying there for one night. I went there because Norbert Haug invited me and Michael and Rubens Barrichello were also there. All three of us got drunk, that’s basically it.
So you see, behind the Schumacher machine there is also a normal person like each of us.
Written by Vincent Bogaerts