At Benetton, Schumacher was joined by Martin Brundle as a teammate for the 1992 season before being replaced the following year by Riccardo Patrese.

Schumacher won two titles with Benetton before signing for Ferrari and create his legacy with the Scuderia.

The early 2000s were dominated by Schumacher and the iconic Italian Formula 1 team, winning five more championships over time.

Schumacher initially retired at the end of the 2006 campaign after watching Fernando Alonso win back-to-back titles before making a comeback with Mercedes.

Although his time with the Silver Arrows only saw him earn one podium finish, it cemented his legacy among the sport’s elite.

Brundle spoke to the Sky Sports F1 podcast about his relationship with Schumacher.

He admitted that although he was teammate and rival on the track, one moment led to the German not speaking to him for half a decade.

Why Michael Schumacher didn’t speak to Martin Brundle for five years

Max Verstappen was recently compared to Schumacher for good and bad reasons depending on how you look at it.

Schumacher was incredibly aggressive on the track, and his late-season shunts with Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve are iconic in the sport.

Verstappen takes no prisoners either, but both drivers have also gained a reputation for being incredibly fast in the wet.

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Brundle had been an expert for over 25 years and when asked about his meetings with Schumacher, he said: “Well, bizarrely, we fell out because something I said was translated, taken out of context and translated in German and put in a title and journal.

“And Michael was very upset, I have no idea what it was to this day.

“He didn’t speak to me for five years, it was really weird.

“And then we got drunk together in a nightclub in Valencia while he was on sabbatical from Mercedes and Ferrari.

“We were fine after that, he was kind of hanging off my shoulder, like, ‘My teammate, my teammate!’

“And that broke the ice again.” So I really don’t know what the problem was, but it was a shame.

The impact Michael Schumacher had during his short time at Mercedes

Although Schumacher will always be remembered in F1 for standing on the podium in his iconic red racing suit, his time at Mercedes was just as impactful, albeit for different reasons.

Alongside Nico Rosberg, he helped establish a new team on the grid that won several world championships after his retirement.

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Mercedes staff still remember Schumacher fondly for his kindness and warm welcome.

Like Verstappen, his off-track reputation is very different from what he is remembered for when it comes to his racing style.

Schumacher is considered light years behind Lewis Hamilton by his brother Ralfalthough it will be interesting to see how he feels if the 39-year-old Briton manages to secure a record eighth title by taking the opposite path of the German’s career from Mercedes to Ferrari.

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