Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Damon Hill’s rivalry with Michael Schumacher was one of the most exciting battles of the 1990s in Formula 1.
Both Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill made their debuts in the early 1990s, immediately making an impact at the front of the grid.
Benetton signed Schumacher after a single race with Jordan, where he qualified P7, while a short stint with Brabham in 1992 led to Hill being named as Alain Prost’s teammate the following year.
The 1994 season saw the pair’s battle go down to the final race, when Schumacher took Hill out in Adelaide to win his first drivers’ championship.
Who is the most underrated driver in Formula 1 history?
Let us know in the comments
Hill would get his revenge in 1996, winning his one and only F1 title as Schumacher quickly learned how difficult it would be to turn Ferrari back into the powerhouse many remember.
The British driver hung up his helmet at the end of the 1999 campaign, but Schumacher continued into the 2000s as he dominated F1 with Ferrari.
Schumacher walked away from the sport in 2006, only to return for three years with Mercedes, where he struggled to live up to his previous supremacy.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Michael Schumacher, from F1 career to net worth
Damon Hill says Michael Schumacher was ‘annoyed’ about leaving Ferrari in 2006
Hill was speaking to journalist Mark Hughes on The Undercut Podcast about the final stages of the seven-time world champion’s career.
He said: “I remember being astonished when Michael kept on winning once he got past the Fangio total.
“He kept on going, and we haven’t really talked about him because he stopped against his will, and I think that annoyed him, irritated him, and that’s why he decided to do his comeback.
“What he found out when he came back was it was different.”
Would Charles Leclerc be the best suited driver to race for Aston Martin in 2027?
Hughes replied: “Plus, he’d injured himself on the motorbike as well.
“I think Michael’s an interesting one because he presented to the world that I’m unbeatable, but he did have doubts.
“When you talk to people who worked with him, and I think Seb [Vettel] talked about it once, Seb looked upon Michael as a bit of a mentor, a guiding light sort of thing.
“Seb had doubts and was talking about them to Michael, and said, “We all have them.” He said, “What? You have them?” He said, “Yeah, of course I do.”
Hill then revealed: “Michael very obviously never alluded to that. The moment he went into the paddock, there was a steel face, and no one saw a weakness there.”
READ MORE: Damon Hill explains the ‘political ambitions’ that stopped Fernando Alonso from winning more titles
How Michael Schumacher nearly came out of retirement to race for Ferrari
Schumacher took a long break from Formula 1 before his return with Mercedes in 2010.
However, he was nearly called upon by Ferrari the year before after Felipe Massa’s huge accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Brazilian was ruled out for the rest of the season, and Ferrari ended up calling on Luca Badoer to replace him before signing Giancarlo Fisichella after the Italian test driver’s underwhelming spell in the car.
Ross Brawn spoke about the prospect of Schumacher returning, via The Guardian, and said: “I’m convinced he will be [strong].
“I still remember the great race he did in Brazil in 2006. Of course, it’s obvious that he has to familiarise himself with the car, but I’m sure that if he doesn’t win one of the remaining races of the season, it will not be his fault, but because Ferrari are not in a winning position.”
His desire to return to F1 was still evident, and it explains why Hill didn’t think he was satisfied with leaving Ferrari when he did.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
