Ralf Schumacher says he likely would not have made it to Formula 1 without the presence of brother Michael Schumacher as a world champion on the grid. The younger Schumacher debuted in F1 in 1997 with Jordan, the same team Michael had famously made his bow with six years earlier.
A champion in Japan’s Formula Nippon prior to debuting in F1, Ralf took six grand prix wins, but never finished higher than fourth in the drivers’ championship.
Speaking to F1’s ‘Beyond the Grid’ podcast, Ralf said all of it may not have been possible were it not for his brother’s previous success with Benetton.
Asked whether his F1 career might have been different had his brother not been around, Ralf said: “The question is, ‘Would I have made it to Formula 1 if Michael wouldn’t have been there?’
“I cannot tell you, I don’t think so. Everything the way it went was OK, it just didn’t work out. For sure, [it was] down to me sometimes and [I was] a bit unlucky with things and accidents I had.”
Schumacher joined Williams in 1999, just two years removed the team winning back-to-back title doubles.
Although Schumacher took all of his grand prix victories in his six-year stint with the team, a title battle never materialised, leaving him with the biggest regret of his career. Asked how his career could have been better, Schumacher explained: “I think I would be in general maybe more focused on what I did and I would have been stronger in what I wanted in a team.
“Because there was a chance [of success] and I made some mistakes. I should have had more influence on the situation before I signed the extension, or the second contract, with Williams [More influence over the] organisation, how to be able to go forwards. That was the biggest mistake because all three of us [Schumacher and team-mates Alex Zanardi and Jenson Button], all four including Juan Pablo [Montoya] could have been more successful.”
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