He was Michael Schumacher’s teammate when he won his first Formula 1 title, but never won a race himself

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Michael Schumacher had 11 Formula 1 teammates and for the most part, he had the measure of all of them.

At the end of his maiden title-winning season in 1994, he had already been through seven of those teammates, three years on from joining Formula 1.

Over the next 18 years, Schumacher would have just four more teammates on his way to becoming the most successful driver of all time.

Ferrari helped him get there, but Benetton were the team that kick-started his race-winning habits and left him hungry to achieve more.

Cheating accusations dominated Schumacher’s first championship, amid calls that the team had a secret traction control device.

However, it was never proven. Benetton ‘bamboozled’ the rest of the F1 field in 1994 and no one had an answer for their strategies. They ran a slick operation.

READ MORE: He was Michael Schumacher’s first F1 teammate and holds the record for most consecutive Grand Prix retirements

Jos Verstappen was Michael Schumacher’s teammate before winning first Formula 1 title in 1994

Schumacher’s teammate was ‘incredibly talented’ in 1994, but never lived up to his full potential, according to current Sauber boss Jonathan Wheatley.

Well, Schumacher had three teammates that season, but the one who featured the most (10 races out of 16) was rookie Jos Verstappen.

Originally signed as the Benetton team’s reserve driver for 1994, following an impressive test for Arrows the year before, he had offers from every team apart from Ferrari and Williams.

When Benetton’s JJ Lehto suffered a pre-season accident, Verstappen was promoted for the first two races, before Lehto returned in time for San Marino.

Following a poor run of form by the Finnish driver, Verstappen was promoted back to a race seat and secured two podiums in eight races, before being dropped in time for the last two races of the season.

Desperate to win the drivers’ championship, the team put Johnny Herbert in the car and still failed to achieve their dreams.

For 1995, the Briton would be retained, leaving Verstappen to take up an opportunity with the backmarker Simtek team.

READ MORE: How Max Verstappen ‘benefitted’ from learning to go-kart with Michael Schumacher as a child

Michael Schumacher predicted Jos Verstappen ‘argument’ about Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher

Verstappen had a friendship with Schumacher which remained strong into the early 2000s, as current reigning champion of the sport, Max, was growing up.

When they were little, Schumacher once predicted that their first ‘argument’ would be over their sons (Max and Mick) competing against each other.

“We have never had any sort of argument in our friendship,” said the seven-time champion. “I think this could be the first time we have some argument if our two [Mick Schumacher and Max Verstappen] were to be racing each other.”

“Very similar age. For sure, they will compete with each other if they grow up and decide to go into go-karts.”

The most intense things would ever get between them both would be at the 2022 British Grand Prix, in a feisty battle for points, but Mick would never get the chance to properly fight at the front.