Farewell Michael Schumacher from BMW Sauber

By BMW Sauber F1 Team
October 25 2006

Sunday represented both the end of the 2006 World Championship season and the end of Michael Schumacher's F1 career. The BMW Sauber F1 Team paid tribute to him at Sao Paulo him by decorating its rear wings with the message 'Thank you Michael'.

The 250th Grand Prix in the German's career was his last race at the pinnacle of motor racing. Seven World Championship titles, 91 race wins, 68 pole positions and 76 fastest race laps: Schumacher broke nearly every record there was to be broken. Prior to the Brazilian GP, he still possessed a theoretical chance of securing his eighth World Championship, but it wasn't to be. His title rival, Fernando Alonso, finished runner-up in the race, thus winning the title for the second consecutive time.

Following a puncture in the early stages of the race, Schumacher dropped back to last position, but during the course of the season finale, he once again proved his extraordinary skills. He gained position after position and delivered numerous spectacular overtaking manoeuvres to ultimately cross the finish line in fourth position.

Peter Sauber has known Michael Schumacher since the German took his first steps on the motor racing ladder. "This is a special day," he says. "An extraordinary career has come to its end. Such a career won't be witnessed again in motor racing. Basically, Formula One will remain the same but the picture will be slightly different. This always is the case when a great era ends."