One lap in 2021, two points in 2025: the five-in-a-row remains an exclusive Schumacher record
The German remains the only driver in history to have won five consecutive Formula 1 world championships.
A record that was only brushed
The world championship title won by Lando Norris in Abu Dhabi, achieved by holding off a dramatic and spectacular comeback in the standings by Max Verstappen, also ended up “saving” the uniqueness of one of the most extraordinary – and perhaps unbeatable – records in the history of Formula 1. By losing the 2025 championship by just two points, Verstappen was forced to stop at four consecutive world titles, missing out on matching the five-in-a-row achieved by Michael Schumacher at the wheel of Ferrari between 2000 and 2004.
Once again, the German’s record therefore remains intact and unequalled, preserved by the smallest of margins. Back in 2021, it had been Verstappen himself, in the legendary Abu Dhabi title decider, who prevented Lewis Hamilton from winning a fifth consecutive championship, thanks to the famous last-lap overtake that followed the controversial decision by Michael Masi to allow only the cars between the Mercedes #44 and the Red Bull #33 to unlap themselves before the restart behind the Safety Car.
Schumi remains alone
This time, the outcome of the race that decided the championship was – fortunately – far less controversial. Even so, Verstappen came extremely close to equalling the record of a man who was not only a friend, but also a former teammate of his father Jos during their time at Benetton. The two points that separated Norris and Verstappen represent the smallest gap between first and second in the standings since the introduction of 25 points for a race victory. Schumacher’s solitary record, however, is safe and will certainly stand at least until 2029.
Of course, before Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, it had been Sebastian Vettel in 2014 who first attempted to chase a fifth consecutive world title. However, the arrival of the hybrid era created major difficulties for the German, who ended that season without a single victory and therefore never truly entered the fight for the championship.
Michael Schumacher’s achievement from the early 2000s continues to loom large over modern Formula 1, a testament to his dominance during Ferrari’s golden era. As the grid prepares for the major regulation changes in 2026, the pursuit of such sustained excellence remains one of the sport’s ultimate challenges, with the seven-time champion’s five-in-a-row streak enduring as a benchmark few have approached.
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