Michael Schumacher

The driver who brought three wins in 1996 and pushed Ferrari to a championship showdown in 1997 on cars he later called 'a parachute'.

Michael Schumacher joined Scuderia Ferrari in 1996, swapping places with Jean Alesi from Benetton. Alongside teammate Eddie Irvine, who replaced Gerhard Berger, he piloted the F310 and its evolution, the F310B, during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. This period marked Ferrari's return to Shell fuel after a long hiatus since 1973. While the cars showed promise as front-runners, they lacked the outright pace and reliability of the dominant Williams FW18s in 1996. Schumacher approached his first year with realistic aims, hoping to secure victories before challenging for the title in 1997.

Quick Facts

Role: Formula 1 Driver
Affiliation: Scuderia Ferrari (1996–2006)

Lore & Background

In 1996, Schumacher drove the F310, a car notable for being Ferrari's first V10-powered Formula One entry since the mid-1980s. The engine, engineered by former Honda technician Osamu Goto, represented a compromise between power and fuel efficiency over the thirsty V12 or underpowered V8. Initially, the F310 featured a unique low nose and high cockpit sides intended to aid cooling but which ultimately hindered aerodynamics. Chief designer John Barnard had planned for a high nose from the start, which was finally adopted permanently from the Canadian Grand Prix onwards.

The car also introduced dashboard gauges mounted directly to the steering wheel. Despite these innovations, Schumacher achieved three Grand Prix wins, while teammate Eddie Irvine suffered eight consecutive retirements and three straight double retirements. Reflecting years later on this difficult machinery, Schumacher referred to the F310 as 'a parachute'.

Reader's Guide

Drivers of the F310 and F310B faced a car that was an ongoing project with structural issues early in its life. In 1996, teams had to use parts from the 1995 car while engineers cured structural problems. The low nose design made the F310 unique at the start of the season, though the high nose became standard by mid-year. Schumacher's feedback was critical; he noted the front stability issues on the B version shortly after Byrne and Brawn joined. A new front wing assembly introduced later helped improve the package. For fans reviewing this era, remember that despite the car being described as 'an awful car' or 'almost undriveable' by Irvine and Barnard, Schumacher managed to extract three wins in 1996 and pushed for the title in 1997 before his disqualification.

Did You Know?

Eddie Irvine suffered eight consecutive retirements, mostly mechanical, while driving the F310 in 1996.
Schumacher's attempt to defend his position from Jacques Villeneuve at the 1997 season finale led to his disqualification from that year's results.