Michael Schumacher once suggested his racing ‘idol’ was the fastest driver ever to compete in Formula 1

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Plenty of Formula 1 fans will make the argument that Michael Schumacher is the greatest driver ever to compete in the sport.

Michael Schumacher created the ultimate partnership with Ferrari, winning five consecutive drivers’ championships between 2000 and 2004.

Some may argue that any top-level driver would have won the championships that Schumacher did in that period, but that’s a revisionist way of looking at his triumphs, while also not taking into account how he won back-to-back titles with Benetton in 1994 and 1995.

Schumacher burst onto the scene in 1991, catching Flavio Briatore’s attention after just race weekend.

Eddie Jordan gave Schumacher his F1 debut at the Belgian Grand Prix, and while his race only lasted a few corners, it was enough to convince Briatore that he was the future of Benetton.

Many drivers credit Schumacher as the reason they love Formula 1, but for the seven-time world champion, there was only one racing legend that he believed deserved the title of the sport’s ‘fastest’ driver.

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Michael Schumacher once named Ayrton Senna as his racing ‘idol’

Schumacher was asked at the end of the 2001 season if he believed he would be a four-time world champion, as he was at the time, if he had been racing against Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell throughout his career.

When talking about the Brazilian three-time world champion, Schumacher insisted, “Obviously, he was my idol.”

Later, he was asked who he rates other than himself as the fastest driver in Formula 1, and when the journalist started listing off names such as Mika Hakkinen, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve, Schumacher replied, “Why aren’t you mentioning Senna? For sure he was the fastest. Definitely.”

Schumacher took part in the interview with Atlas F1 if he would have been able to beat Senna across his career, to which he simply replied, “Who knows?

“I don’t know. I mean, look at it this way: I think my first World Championship in ’94, I would have had for sure much more difficulties to win it against Senna than to win it against Hill, because Senna was much faster than Hill.

“On the other side of the question mark, my engine wasn’t so strong and yet I was able to beat Senna in Brazil in a very clear fight.

“But then the car was difficult for him at that stage. The Williams improved, but I only took 12 races out of 16 races that year – so maybe I would never have won it, and maybe I would.

“We will never find out, sadly, so each one will keep his own view if I would have done it or not. Personally, I just don’t want to think about it because I will never know the answer.”

READ MORE: All to know about Ayrton Senna including Alain Prost rivalry and Imola crash

Michael Schumacher ‘upset’ Ayrton Senna during their first Formula 1 battles

Schumacher wasn’t a threat to Senna during his first races in F1 in 1991, although he did score points on three occasions as the Brazilian went on to win his third and final title.

The following year, the pair were involved in a lot more action on track, with the German coming out three points ahead of Senna at the end of the season.

Ross Brawn spoke about how Schumacher upset Senna during their two full seasons in direct competition, and said, “I don’t think Michael set out to try and upset him [Senna], I think Michael was racing him the same way he was racing everyone else, as he should have done.

“It caused some friction. Ayrton tried to put Michael in his place a few times on track which upset Michael.”

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Schumacher copied some of the more aggressive aspects of his driving style on Senna, based on his admiration for the legendary driver.

Formula 1 lost out on plenty of incredible battles between the pair but Senna’s legacy still lives on in the sport to this day.

Lewis Hamilton’s continues to pay tribute to Senna and the country’s newest star Gabriel Bortoleto has previously modelled his helmets on his unique style.