Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher (born June 30, 1975) is a German Formula One racing driver for the Toyota team. He is the younger brother of seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and started racing at age three on his parents' go-kart track in their hometown of Kerpen. He is married with one son, although there are many rumours regarding his private life.

Related Topics:
June 30 - 1975 - German - Formula One - Toyota - Michael Schumacher - Kerpen

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In 1995, he finished third in the German Formula 3 championship, and then won the Japanese Formula Nippon championship (ex Japanese F3000) Championship in 1996 with two race wins.

Related Topics:
1995 - Formula 3 - Formula Nippon - F3000 - 1996

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Ralf made his Formula One debut in 1997 with the Jordan team and finished on the podium in just his third race, at Argentina. However Ralf retired in more than half his races that season and ended up behind team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella. The following season Jordan was powered by Honda and proved capable of race wins when Ralf followed team mate Damon Hill to second place in Belgium. In the knowledge that a deal had been done with BMW in 1999 he changed to the Williams team and scored three podium finishes and sixth in the World Drivers Championship with the underpowered Supertec engine. However Heinz-Harald Frentzen who replaced him at Jordan scored two wins and four podiums that year.

Related Topics:
1997 - Jordan - Argentina - Giancarlo Fisichella - Honda - Damon Hill - Belgium - 1999 - Williams - Heinz-Harald Frentzen

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The 2000 season was considered by many a bit of a disappointment for Ralf. Running the powerful new BMW engine, he was expected to compete for wins, but despite only four mechanical failures and being the senior driver in the team, he was only able to match the three podium finishes of the previous year. In 2001, however, he broke through with his first three Grand Prix wins at Imola, Montreal and Hockenheim. In 2002, he won the Malaysian Grand Prix but finished the championship behind team mate Juan-Pablo Montoya, and in 2003, he won the European Grand Prix (at the Nurburgring) and the French Grand Prix, helping, along with teammate Juan Pablo Montoya the Williams team finish second in the Constructors Championship in 2002 and 2003.

Related Topics:
2000 - 2001 - Imola - Montreal - Hockenheim - 2002 - Malaysian Grand Prix - Juan-Pablo Montoya - 2003 - European Grand Prix - Nurburgring - French Grand Prix

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On June 20 2004, Ralf was seriously injured in a severe accident at the United States Grand Prix. The acceleration was measured at 78 g (765 m/s²), one of the most severe in all of motor racing history, resulting in a concussion as well as two minor fractures to his spinal column. The accident effectively ended Ralf's career with Williams.

Related Topics:
June 20 - 2004 - Accident - United States Grand Prix - G

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In 2005, Ralf transferred to the Toyota team. In the first 12 races of the season he performed worse than team mate Jarno Trulli, however in Spa he was able to challenge for the lead most of the race and ended up setting the fastest lap.

Related Topics:
2005 - Toyota - Jarno Trulli

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