When Michael Schumacher was investigated for 'attempted murder'

Michael Schumacher is the certified GOAT of Formula 1 and remains to this day one of the most respected figures in motorsport history. But that’s not to say the German was squeaky clean – far from it, in fact.

One of the most controversial moments of Schumacher’s career has to be the infamous collision with Jacques Villeneuve during the 1997 season finale in Jerez, Spain. A move that would not only cost him the Championship, but also see him investigated for attempted murder. Let’s go back to 1997.

The stage was set for a thrilling climax to the 1997 Formula 1 World Championship. Schumacher, driving for Ferrari, was locked in a fierce title battle with Villeneuve of Williams. Heading into the final race, Schumacher led the championship by a single point, meaning the stakes couldn’t have been higher.

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On lap 48 of the European Grand Prix, Villeneuve attempted to overtake Schumacher at the end of the Dry Sack corner. Sensing his rival’s move, Schumacher appeared to deliberately steer into Villeneuve's car. 

The collision sent Schumacher into the gravel, ending his race, while Villeneuve managed to continue and eventually secure the championship by finishing third.

The deliberate nature of Schumacher’s actions was apparent on replay and immediately sparked outrage. Critics accused him of unsportsmanlike conduct, with many labeling the move as an outright attempt to take Villeneuve out of the race and steal the title.

Reflecting on the incident in 2020 to Motor Sport Magazine, former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn shed some light onto what was happening behind the scenes that day.

"He came back to the pits and he was telling us, 'we have to get Villeneuve disqualified,' and I said 'Michael, you really need to look at the TV because it really doesn’t look that way I’m afraid'." Brawn continued, "He looked, and he went quiet and realised that things hadn’t been quite the way he thought they were from the cockpit."

Unfortunately, things were about to get messy for Schumacher. The FIA launched an investigation into the incident, and Schumacher was summoned to a disciplinary hearing. The verdict was damning: Schumacher's move was deemed deliberate, and he was stripped of his second-place finish in the championship standings.

This marked the first and only time in F1 history that a driver had been disqualified from an entire season for such an action. While this decision significantly tarnished Schumacher’s reputation, the repercussions went beyond the sporting world.

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In the weeks following the incident, rumors swirled about legal action against Schumacher. Reports from various news outlets, such as the Irish Times and the Guardian, suggested that legal authorities in Spain were investigating the crash as a potential case of "attempted murder."

However, the investigation was short-lived and did not lead to formal charges. Legal experts and commentators largely dismissed the notion, pointing out that while Schumacher’s move was dangerous, it was ultimately a racing incident rather than a "premeditated" criminal act, as Racing 365 reported.

Over two decades later, the Jerez collision remains one of the most infamous moments in Formula 1 history. For Schumacher, it became a defining blemish on an otherwise extraordinary career.

For Villeneuve, the incident added drama to his crowning achievement as world champion, but it was something that never sat well with him, and later reflected on his distrust of Schumacher.

"Michael Schumacher? I've never respected him as a person, never," Villeneuve said in 2002 following Schumacher’s World Championship win that year, as reported by Autosport. "We've never gotten along. And what he and Ferrari combined to achieve together this year just made a mockery of everything in Formula 1."

He particularly took umbrage with the fact that Schumacher tried to laugh off the incident later, donning a blonde wig, to initiate Villeneuve's bleached hair, at the race after party and posed for photos with the new champion.

"The next thing they were all over the place in the motorsport magazines and he was making out, 'Oh, we're friends; I didn't do anything wrong; Jacques doesn't really hate me'. That's what made me really angry because he was using a situation for his own benefit and that doesn't go well with me," he said according to Autosport.

Ultimately, the "attempted murder" investigation faded into obscurity, but the memory of Schumacher’s audacious move lives on as a reminder of just how high stakes in motorsports can get. There is always a huge risk of danger, and one reckless move can have serious consequences outside the track.

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