Thread by @Vetteleclerc

Happy Birthday to Michael Schumacher today ❤️

#KeepFightingMichael

Here is a little thread with comments from the current
F1 grid about Michael [comments were made over the years] ❤️

Mick: "My father is my idol. I have the highest respect for what he achieved. He had to work hard for his wins and titles. Nothing was given to him. That impresses me. The power and energy he showed, the concentration, always being 100% on the job."

Sebastian Vettel: "Michael was a huge inspiration for me. Not only when I saw him race as a child, but also when I met him in person and he became a friend. He remains the greatest for me!"

❤️

Charles Leclerc: "For me there are two big legends and idols in F1: Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. When I was little, I always watched Michael Schumacher on television. Back then I never thought I would be driving for the same team he did."

Max Verstappen: "I was three/four years old at that time. All I knew was that this was Uncle Michael. Who was very nice & an extremely great family man. You can see that in the old photos and videos we have at home. It was great. I still have positive memories of those weekends."

Esteban Ocon: "Michael was one of my great idols. If I could be half as successful as he was, then I would be very happy."

. @PierreGASLY : "When I started following F1, Michael Schumacher had just won everything. He was the one I said to my parents [I want to be like him]. I saw him splashing champagne on tv every week. That made me feel like I wanted to win races and win titles too."

Alex Albon: "I’ve wanted to be an F1 driver since when I was 6 years old. One of my first words was [Rarri] short for Ferrari. And obviously being a fan of Ferrari, I was a fan of Michael Schumacher, because he was my generation’s hero."

. @GeorgeRussell63 : "My parents bought me a little racing suit of Michael when I was about three years old. At that time, Michael won everything. And as a kid you just love it when your favourite colour red is always driving in front and winning. So Michael was my first hero."

Carlos Sainz: "When I was 10 years old, my father travelled with me to Barcelona and we had the opportunity to visit the Ferrari pits and meet Michael Schumacher. I felt it immediately: There's a very special atmosphere in that pit box, there's nothing like it to this day."

. @danielricciardo : "To even know that I was once on the same grid as Michael in F1 is crazy for me. I remember one of my first races, in Suzuka, I had a short battle with him. It was a little cat-and-mouse game on the track, and it was totally surreal."

Lance Stroll: "As a child, Michael was my hero. A true champion on and off the track. I really looked up to him."

Fernando Alonso: "Michael is a legend of the sport. I think Michael was for me, the biggest rival that I consider [to have had in] my career. [He was] like a teacher, for me. I learned so much from him in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 & in 2005/2006, we fought wheel to wheel with him."

Lewis Hamilton: "I remember the first time we were on the track together. It was in 2006 during a test, it was just unreal for me to suddenly be on the track with him. I just drove behind him because right before that, I was still driving as Michael in my computer game."