Michael Schumacher once challenged world karting champion to private test after hearing he was ‘the best’

Follow us on Google Discover

Michael Schumacher virtually swept the board in karting at the start of his racing career. The talent of the future F1 legend was obvious.

Schumacher won back-to-back German Junior titles in 1984 and 1985. When he stepped up to the seniors, he finished third at first before taking the crown in 1987.

In tandem with that, he won the European championship. That paved the way for a step-up to German Formula Ford.

Franz Tost realised Schumacher was special when he saw him dominate the Formula Ford field in the wet. He would later come to be known as the ‘Regenmeister’ (or Rainmaster) in Formula 1.

After two years in German Formula 3, he made his F1 debut in 1991. Eddie Jordan called Schumacher’s test at Spa a ‘wonder of the world’, but he only raced for the Irishman’s team once before a move to Benetton.

Jarno Trulli tells the story of karting face-off with Michael Schumacher

Jarno Trulli broke into Formula 1 in 1997, the year after Schumacher joined Ferrari. After starting out at Prost, he followed in the German’s footsteps by racing for Jordan.

Trulli’s next move was to join Renault, where he partnered Fernando Alonso. He scored his one and only F1 victory at the 2004 Monaco GP in the midst of Schumacher’s seventh title-winning season.

The Italian switched to Toyota before the year was out, and he stayed with the Japanese manufacturer until the end of 2009. He then saw out his career at backmarkers Team Lotus.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Trulli revealed that Schumacher once challenged him after he won the World Karting Championship. He’d heard that the youngster was ‘the best’ and wanted to see for himself.

“He was the greatest in Formula 1,” Trulli said. “I lived through the whole era of his triumphs with Ferrari and perhaps that’s why I never received a call from Maranello.

“The first time I met him, I was the world karting champion and he was the F1 world champion, but he wanted to come to a test with a Tony Kart in Lonato just to challenge me, since the owner Roberto Robazzi had told him I was the best.”

Ted Kravitz explains why Michael Schumacher was unlike any driver he ever interviewed

Schumacher was poised to battle Ayrton Senna for the 1994 title before the latter’s fatal accident. It was shaping up to be Benetton vs Williams.

According to former mechanic Jonathan Wheatley, Ayrton Senna used to shake his head in disbelief at Schumacher’s qualifying times. Both drivers relished the developing rivalry.

Martin Brundle says Schumacher lacked Senna’s natural talent, but made up for it with an impeccable attitude. According to Ted Kravitz, this was even evident in his interviews.

Schumacher demanded ‘excellence’ from reporters, trying to extract information or ideas he could use even in his media issues. Kravitz has never experienced this with any other driver.