Michael Schumacher's brother would have been an F1 legend if not for 'two serious crashes'
Ralf Schumacher could have matched his brother Michael in winning the F1 world title had it not been for two career-derailing crashes, according to a sports figurehead. The younger Schumacher brother started 180 Grands Prix during his ten-year long career, representing Jordan, Williams and Toyota.
He won six times but never lived up to the standards set by his illustrious brother. Schumacher senior has won seven world titles, a record he currently shares with Mercedes man Lewis Hamilton.
Ralf came closest to a world title in the 2001 and 2002 campaigns, where he finished fourth while still with Williams. On both occasions, it was Michael who finished top of the drivers' standings, in a run that saw him crowned champion for five consecutive years at Ferrari.
But AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost said things could have been a lot different had Ralf not suffered serious crashes in 2003 and 2004. The first came during testing at Monza and the second at Indianapolis – leaving him with two minor fractures to his spine that caused him to miss six races.
FLASHOUT: How Charles Leclerc can beat Max Verstappen to become this year's new F1 World Champion
Tost, 66, spotted Schumacher's talent while managing the WTS Formula 3 team, before following him to Williams. And in a he explained why he thought his young star at the time failed to fulfill his potential: "Ralf was incredibly fast, incredibly talented," he said. "He learned very quickly and implemented everything very quickly.
“His problem? He was never in the right place at the right time, otherwise he would have won titles like his brother. What ultimately cost him his speed were two extremely serious accidents. testing at Monza and the crash at Indianapolis. You couldn't just put that away."
DON'T MISS:Lewis Hamilton enjoys summer vacation in Rwanda and finds 'new best friend'Lewis Hamilton and George Russell face long-term back problems due to porpoising issuesVerdict by Max Verstappen returned by Pierre Gasly after an "aggressive" start in F1 - EXCLUSIVE
Ralf Schumacher could have matched his brother Michael in winning the F1 world title had it not been for two career-derailing crashes, according to a sports figurehead. The younger Schumacher brother started 180 Grands Prix during his ten-year long career, representing Jordan, Williams and Toyota.
He won six times but never lived up to the standards set by his illustrious brother. Schumacher senior has won seven world titles, a record he currently shares with Mercedes man Lewis Hamilton.
Ralf came closest to a world title in the 2001 and 2002 campaigns, where he finished fourth while still with Williams. On both occasions, it was Michael who finished top of the drivers' standings, in a run that saw him crowned champion for five consecutive years at Ferrari.
But AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost said things could have been a lot different had Ralf not suffered serious crashes in 2003 and 2004. The first came during testing at Monza and the second at Indianapolis – leaving him with two minor fractures to his spine that caused him to miss six races.
FLASHOUT: How Charles Leclerc can beat Max Verstappen to become this year's new F1 World Champion
Tost, 66, spotted Schumacher's talent while managing the WTS Formula 3 team, before following him to Williams. And in a he explained why he thought his young star at the time failed to fulfill his potential: "Ralf was incredibly fast, incredibly talented," he said. "He learned very quickly and implemented everything very quickly.
“His problem? He was never in the right place at the right time, otherwise he would have won titles like his brother. What ultimately cost him his speed were two extremely serious accidents. testing at Monza and the crash at Indianapolis. You couldn't just put that away."
DON'T MISS:Lewis Hamilton enjoys summer vacation in Rwanda and finds 'new best friend'Lewis Hamilton and George Russell face long-term back problems due to porpoising issuesVerdict by Max Verstappen returned by Pierre Gasly after an "aggressive" start in F1 - EXCLUSIVE
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