Schumacher - The Ruthless, Precise Driver

*Six of the best Schumacher F1 drive

*AFP

ACROSS 307 Grands Prix, Michael Schumacher proved countless times why he stands atop the record books as Formula 1's greatest champion. Here are, in our opinion, his six greatest drives in F1. 1995 Belgian Grand Prix Remember back when F1 had two days of qualifying? A crash on Friday followed by wet weather on Saturday left Schumacher 16th on the grid. The typically fickle skies above Spa opened up early in the race. Schumacher stayed on slicks as rain fell, grimly hanging on to his gripless Benetton as others opted for the security of wet-weather rubber.
Now leading but with fierce rival Damon Hill on wets hounding him, Schumacher used every trick in the book - and a few he made up - to hold the Englishman off, the pair banging wheels at one point. By the time Hill made it past the weather was clearing, leaving the German on the right tyres.

A late race shower and safety car setup a grandstand finish, only to become a fizzer when Hill was pinged for speeding in the pit lane. It allowed the German ace to race on to his 16th career win, and open up the gap between he and Hill in the title chase.

1996 Spanish Grand Prix
Michael Schumacher arrived at Ferrari to find he was saddled with a mule rather than a prancing horse. The legendary Italian team's 1996 machine was not its best, but the rain in Spain leveled the playing field.
In foul conditions, Schumacher slipped down to sixth from third at the start but steadily carved his way forward to be leading on Lap 12. From there he simply walked away from the field, winning as he pleased by 45 seconds, setting a fastest lap over two seconds faster than anyone else could muster. It was a wet-weather masterclass.
1998 Hungarian Grand Prix
In a year where the war between McLaren and Ferrari was as fierce as that between Bridgestone and Goodyear, Schumacher drove out of his skin in Hungary to exploit the durability of the American rubber. Trapped behind the McLarens of title rival Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard, Ferrari switched Schumacher to a three-stop strategy mid-race, hoping to outfox the McLaren pairs' two. His Ferrari engineers asked him to drive an entire stint at flat-out qualifying pace. Schumacher, unbelievably, delivered.
Despite a slight slip at the final corner, Schumacher exited the pits after his third and final stop still in the lead.

2000 Japanese Grand Prix
In his quest to deliver the Scuderia its first drivers' title since 1979, Schumacher had twice taken it to the final round and twice failed. The third time would be the charm. The battle raged between he and title rival Hakkinen all weekend, the German edging the Finn for pole by a scant 0.009s. When the red lights went out Schumacher was a little tardy, unable to chop in front Hakkinen before the McLaren could surge past. The pair drove on the limit for lap after lap, Ferrari's main man moving ahead during the second and final round of stops as spots of rain dotted Suzuka's tarmac. Mika didn't give up, but the battle was over. Schumacher finally gave Ferrari a world championship.
2006 Brazilian Grand PriX
It was supposed to be the fairytale finish, Schumacher contending for title No.8 in his final race before retirement. It didn't quite pan out that way, but it wasn't for want of trying. Schumacher started from tenth with title quarry Alonso fourth, but an early puncture deflated hopes the German would be wearing the crown into retirement. What that prompted, though,was a stunning recovery drive. From dead last on Lap 9, Schumacher carved his way through the field. Setting a fastest lap that was untouchable by even the mercurial Massa - on his way to a wildly popular home win - racing his way back to within sight of the podium, and passing cars on track, to boot. Fourth place wasn't true reward for such a stirring drive, but he went out on top.
2012 Monaco Grand Prix
No, it wasn't a win, but it was a firm reminder that when all the planets aligned the now 43-year-old Schumacher was still capable of teaching the youngsters a lesson. With the chequered flags out and Mark Webber dropping in a rapid final effort to put his Red Bull on pole, most had counted out the silver Mercedes with the red-helmeted driver as it flew around on its final lap. Through Tabac, the Swimming Pool complex, La Rascasse, then wiggling out of the final corner, Schumacher flashed across the line to stop the clocks at 1m14.301s. Pole position, on F1's most demanding circuit, by 0.08s.

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