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The astonishing first glimpse of Schumacher speed – Michael Schumacher’s meteoric rise to Formula One greatness is the stuff of legend, and his debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps is often cited as one of the most remarkable first appearances in the sport’s history. Less well known is the fact that Schumacher had already caused a stir at a private test session at Silverstone just days before the race.
Andy Stevenson, now sporting director of Aston Martin, was part of the Jordan Grand Prix team at the time. In a recent episode of the F1 podcast Beyond The Grid, Stevenson recalls that pivotal test and how the young German’s blistering pace forced the team to slow him down over the radio.
in the making: Schumacher’s first F1 test at Silverstone
Michael Schumacher’s first test for Jordan wasn’t on the full Silverstone Grand Prix layout, but on the shorter Southern Circuit. By this time, most of the F1 paddock had already left for Belgium, leaving Jordan with the track virtually to himself.
“He went lap after lap and within a few laps he was getting closer and closer to our lap record on the South Circuit,” recalls Stevenson. “And then he went faster than we had ever gone on the Silverstone South Circuit.”
Too fast, too soon: Schumacher had to be slowed down
As Schumacher continued to push the limits, Foster took to the radio to ask him to slow down. The 22-year-old driver’s response was as confident as it was astonishing: “I haven’t even started yet!”
This was the moment when Jordan’s engineers fully realised the young German’s potential. Even before turning a wheel in an official F1 session, Schumacher exuded the confidence of a driver who knew he belonged at the pinnacle of motorsport.
