Before becoming a Ferrari legend, Michael Schumacher first tasted glory in F1 with Benetton. Until the 1993 season, however, the German was still one of the drivers on the grid vying for their maiden world championship.
Schumacher earned $2 million from his contract with Benetton, the former name of Team Enstone, and there was a clause in his deal that was supposed to prevent his teammate from earning more. The only exceptions would come in case Benetton roped in legends like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
However, McLaren — who were looking to sign Schumacher — decided to leak to Schumacher’s camp that his 1993 teammate Riccardo Patrese was earning $3 million. Enraged, Schumacher decided not to let this slide and wanted to be certain that what he heard was in fact, true.
A Teammate with a lot of experience: Riccardo Patrese
Camel Benetton Ford
Season 1993 (16 GP)#KeepFightingMichael pic.twitter.com/cw5tP2d8o7— Michael Schumacher (@_MSchumacher) October 5, 2024
The German driver’s legal representatives met with Patrese’s team and offered them $1 million (per The Race) to have a look at his contract. The Italian obliged, since he was reportedly on bad terms with Benetton by that point, and Schumacher saw it for real — Patrese was, in fact, making more than him.
When Team Principal Flavio Briatore got to know, he frantically did what he could to prevent Schumacher from exiting because he was one of the most talented drivers in F1 after all. His solution? Offering $20 million a year, which Schumacher accepted.
It turned out to be a win for Schumacher from a financial perspective and just a year later, he would secure his first-ever F1 title, followed by another in 1995.
Not Schumacher’s only contract fiasco
Schumacher’s F1 career came with its fair share of off-track controversies and more often than not, related to contracts. In the year 1998, Schumacher was with Ferrari, yet to win his first Championship with the Maranello-based squad, but definitely one of the best on the grid.
His brother Ralf, driving for Jordan, got into hot water with its owner Eddie. Apparently, the team had not asked Ralf’s teammate Damon Hill to slow down for him in a race where the German looked faster. Ralf lost out on a win as a result.
Schumacher was so livid that he threatened to take Ralf away from the Irishman’s team, and he agreed to let him go for $2.5 million. The now 56-year-old dished that sum out, and got his brother out of Jordan. Ralf would go on to join Williams in 1999.
