‘Michael Schumacher was out to get me, trying to humiliate me’

F1 World Champion Damon Hill is no stranger to a rivalry with Michael Schumacher.

After big names like Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost retired — and the tragic death of Ayrton Senna at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix — Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher emerged as the faces of Formula 1 in the mid-1990s.

The two drivers battled fiercely for the championship during that era. Schumacher clinched titles in 1994 and 1995 with Benetton, while Hill secured his first — and only — championship in 1996 with Williams.

One of the defining moments of their rivalry was the controversial 1994 F1 Australian Grand Prix, where Schumacher took Hill out of the race after making a mistake mid-race, securing the title in dramatic fashion. There were other flashpoints too — notably at the 1994 British Grand Prix, where Schumacher overtook Hill during the formation lap, earning himself a black flag.

After 1996, their rivalry cooled as Hill approached the end of his career, while Schumacher went on to dominate the sport in the early 2000s. Driving for Ferrari, he won five consecutive world championships between 2000 and 2004, bringing his total to seven — a record now shared with Lewis Hamilton.

Michael Schumacher had 'a nasty streak'

In an interview with GQ Magazine, Hill reflected on his rivalry with Michael Schumacher and what made him such a ruthless competitor. But, he noted, after retiring, he discovered a completely different side of the German legend.

“He was out to get me, no question. He was trying to humiliate me,” Hill said.

“And, of course, he had all the credentials to make me look inferior. I just thought that was a slightly nasty streak, which I wasn’t too enamoured of.

“After I stopped racing, I agreed to interview him for F1 Racing magazine, and he was a completely different person. He seemed like a really fun, nice guy. In a competition, you never saw that.

“He would stick out his chin and puff up his chest and walk with a strut – he radiated confidence. He was a supreme competitor.

“I don’t think there’s been too many like him. Even Max isn’t arrogant like Michael was. But I’m very upset by what has happened to him.”

Michael Schumacher now lives a life changed dramatically after a skiing accident in December 2013. He has remained out of the public eye since, with his health condition kept private. His family has issued only rare updates about his status.

Damon Hill worked with fellow F1 legends

Damon Hill had a relatively late start in Formula 1, making his debut at the age of 32 with the struggling Brabham team in 1992. That year, he only qualified for two out of eight races, with the pre-qualification system still in place.

His big break came in 1993 when Williams signed him as teammate to Alain Prost. At the time, Williams was at the height of its power in F1.

Over the next few years, Hill shared the garage with legends including Prost, Senna, Mansell, and later Jacques Villeneuve, who would go on to win the title in 1997 — the year after Hill’s own triumph.

After leaving Williams in 1996, Hill joined Arrows in 1997, then moved to Jordan Grand Prix, where he spent his final two years in F1 before retiring at the end of the 1999 season.

Reflecting on the personalities he worked with, Hill noted how different they were, despite sharing similar levels of ambition and drive.

“They were all the same in their intensity around their own careers, but they were completely different personalities, all three of them. It just goes to show that there’s not one personality type who becomes world champion,” Hill said.

“Nigel was less bothered about the details, I think. He sort of carried the car if necessary.

“Alain never gave anything away. He was perfectly charming, but he was a poker player.

“And Ayrton was conscientious and also very serious, and I would say introverted or at least self-contained.”