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Michael Schumacher is universally regarded as the most talented driver of his generation, with wages at Ferrari which are allegedly more than twice those of the next best-paid driver. He made his Grand Prix debut in 1991 with Jordan, driving one race before being snapped up by Benetton. The following year he won his first race in Belgium and finished third overall. In 1994 he won his first Drivers' Championship title and successfully defended it the following year. In 1996 he joined Ferrari, finishing third overall despite ever-present aggravation from the car. A year later he was stripped of second place after a disgraceful incident with Jacques Villeneuve in the last race of the season. His supreme self-confidence, which is sometimes interpreted as arrogance, and extreme will to win occasionally means that he courts trouble. The most notable incidents being several on track tangles with Damon Hill during 1995 and 1996, the 1997 event with Villeneuve and being prevented from punching David Coulthard in the Spa pitlane during the 1998 Belgium Grand Prix.
1999, though, proved to be a disappointing year for him. Whilst in a strong second position and fighting hard to realise his dream goal of winning the Drivers' World Championship for Ferrari he crashed on the first lap of the British Grand Prix and broke his leg, which necessitated a three month healing period. While he was out of action number two driver Eddie Irvine found himself leading the Scuderia's challenge and in the position to win it. Controversy reigned whilst Formula1 fans wondered if the German would return to help his team mate take the crown he so desperately wanted for himself. He put all rumours to rest at the Malaysian Grand Prix, in his first appearance after the accident, with his blistering pace in qualifying and superlative performance in the race - controlling it so that Irvine won and taking second place for himself. This was nearly to no good when Ferrari were briefly disqualified from the Malaysian Grand Prix because of a technical irregularity, but their points were re-instated on appeal and Irvine was leading the championship by the smallest of margins. At the final round in Japan Schumacher once again controlled qualifying, taking pole position easily, but in the race he faltered and made a slow start allowing Hakkinen to take the lead and win the championship.
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Rubens Barrichello began his Formula1 career with the Jordan team, where he stayed for four years with some success. His move to Stewart in 1997 allowed him to re-build his confidence, which had taken a battering after two and a half years of partnering Eddie Irvine at Jordan, and produced his most successful season to date - last year. In 1999 he managed to garner 21 championship points and win the drive at Ferrari.
His legions of Brazilian fans, who switched allegiance to Barrichello after the death of Ayrton Senna, were delighted with his new team and so was he. Well-known for his more sensitive and emotional nature he admitted to a few tears upon seeing his name on a red Ferrari for the first time. He is looking to win his first Grand Prix in 2000 and is adamant that he will get equal treatment to Michael Schumacher, something that eluded Irvine in his four years with the team.
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