On 2 September 2001, Michael Schumacher broke Alain Prost’s record of 51 Formula 1 victories by winning the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
Prost had held the record since 1987, when he equalled Jackie Stewart’s total of 27 wins. He added almost as many victories before retiring in 1993, but Schumacher’s rise continued during that same season.
By 2001, Schumacher was a four-time world champion. His Hungarian Grand Prix victory had brought him level with Prost for both race wins and world titles, before he secured that year’s championship with 94 points to David Coulthard’s 51.
Prost accepted that his time as Formula 1’s statistically most successful driver was coming to an end.
“He deserves this kind of record,” the Frenchman said of Schumacher. “I know he has been motivated very much to get this kind of record, which is understandable. You cannot win more than 50 races if you’re not good and he is the best at the moment, one of the best of all time, and he deserves to have this record.”
Williams loses Belgian Grand Prix advantage
Schumacher demonstrated his talent at Spa-Francorchamps, although he qualified only third on a drying track. Williams locked out the front row, with Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher around two seconds faster after switching to dry-weather tyres earlier than their rivals.
However, the incident-filled race quickly went against Williams. Montoya stalled on the grid during the second formation lap after Heinz-Harald Frentzen had suffered the same problem earlier. Ralf Schumacher’s car was then inexplicably left on its jacks before the second start.
The restart was required after a heavy crash involving Prost Grand Prix driver Luciano Burti. The Brazilian collided with Jaguar’s Eddie Irvine on the approach to the high-speed Blanchimont corner and, after suffering concussion, was ruled out for the rest of the season.
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The first four laps were declared null and void, meaning they officially never happened. However, the second starting grid was based on the classification at the end of the opening action. The Schumachers therefore occupied the front row until the Williams mechanics’ error removed Ralf from the fight for victory, leaving both FW23 cars at the back of the field.
Michael Schumacher was then largely untouchable. Benetton’s Giancarlo Fisichella helped by charging from fifth to second at the start and holding up the other frontrunners. The newly crowned four-time champion had built a 20-second lead by lap nine, when he made his first pitstop.
Schumacher extended the advantage to 31 seconds over McLaren driver Coulthard by lap 28, with only eight laps remaining. Coulthard had finally found a way past Fisichella, while Schumacher’s lead survived a mistake on lap 17, when the Ferrari driver ran wide at Stavelot.
Schumacher eased off in the closing stages to finish 10 seconds ahead of Coulthard, who was runner-up in the championship. Fisichella crossed the line a further 18 seconds behind, while Williams narrowly missed out on scoring points.
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Schumacher plays down record achievement
Schumacher broke Prost’s record in dominant fashion, although he insisted the milestone was not a major motivation.
“I can’t say I’m much motivated by statistics,” he said, “but of course it does mean something to have that number [52] on my account. But I will be more delighted in a few years when I am sitting on my sofa, with a beer and cigar, thinking about it.”
Prost again praised the driver who was now his statistical equal.
“I know better than anyone how tough it is to be a world champion and how very tough it is to be a four-time champion,” the Frenchman insisted.
“Michael has the qualities to succeed with his talents and his concentration and motivation. That is why I believe he can be a five-time or even a six-time champion. He and Ferrari are a big force now. I don’t know if he can win 60 or 70 races, but there is no reason why not.”
Schumacher went on to establish a 91-victory record that appeared unassailable for years, until Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen began rewriting the Formula 1 record books.
