Michael Schumacher 1996 – Photo of the Day
May 19th in Monaco, 1996. Michael Schumacher throws down a blistering qualifying lap, however it wasn’t to be his weekend…
Michael Schumacher was on fire during qualifying at the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix, taking the pole position ahead of Damon Hill in a flurry of controversy surrounding Schumacher’s slowing down lap, which ended up causing Gerhard Berger to spin coming out of the tunnel and into the chicane on his hot lap.
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Coming into the race, Schumacher must have been aching for a Grand Prix win. He was the defending Formula 1 World Champion, it was his first year racing for the prestigious Ferrari, and he had just placed second at both the Nurgburgring and in San Marino.
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Unfortunately for Michael, the race wasn’t to be his, nor was the year. Damon Hill got the jump on him early in the race, and as he watched the Brit pull away Schumacher would lose control coming out of Lower Mirabeau and slam into the wall. The race was over before it had even really begun for Michael Schumacher, and for Damon Hill? He’d retire after 40 laps with mechanical issues. Only three cars would be running at the conclusion of the race, with Frenchman Olivier Panis taking first position – his sole Formula 1 Grand Prix victory.
