Ferrari icon pulls back the curtain on how Michael Schumacher's first day at the team was

Seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher joined Ferrari starting with the 1996 season, and went on to enjoy one of the most dominant stints in the Italian stable's history. Ferrari icon and the Head of Logistics and Security during Schumacher's time, Gino Rosario, opened up about the German driver's first day at the Scuderia.

Michael Schumacher made his F1 debut in 1991 and went on to win two consecutive championships with Benetton in 1994 and 1995. However, the German was looking for a new challenge and motivation, and made the decision to join Ferrari for the 1996 season.

Ferrari last won a Drivers' title in 1979 when the German joined the Maranello-based team. Schumacher joined Ferrari with the motivation to take the Italian team back to its glory days and was almost unstoppable with Ross Brawn and Jean Todt's backing.

However, the success didn't come straight away, and Michael Schumacher had to rebuild the team. The German won his first championship with the Scuderia in 2000 and followed it up with four more championships in the next four years. He then battled Fernando Alonso for the 2005 and 2006 titles, but came out second best on both occasions.

Nonetheless, Ferrari Icon Gino Rosario featured on the Pitstop podcast. As the icon pondered upon Michael Schumacher's time at Ferrari, he recalled the German’s first day at Ferrari, and revealed an intriguing story.

“Michael Schumacher came along. He came to Maranello at the end of the year, tested and came to see the guys. He finished early, looking for the guy who was supposed to bring him back to the airport. He said, ‘Where’s this guy? I got to go’. I said ‘I’ll bring you’. No passport, no license, no nothing. Let's go buddy, whatever it takes.

“We took off. He had been there like a couple of times and remembered every road. He's gunning this thing and the police are right there on the highway. We get to the airport, sign a couple of autographs. They luck that I had that they had another police squad there. They came and asked for a picture.

“When I came back to South of Modena, the police were waiting for me. No papers, and I dont know what to tell them.”

Michael Schumacher on why he joined Ferrari in 1996 despite winning consecutive titles with Benetton

Benetton’s former Technical Director Ross Brawn, who helped Michael Schumacher to his first two titles, joined Ferrari a year after the German. Schumacher, Ross Brawn, and Jean Todt’s trio would go on to change the fortunes at Ferrari and win five consecutive championships from 2000 to 2005.

Speaking about why he joined Ferrari, Schumacher once said:

“This kind of motivation was what I was looking for. I was not looking for an easy job where I sit in the car and I'll win every race, or where people at least expect me to win every race - this is not the challenge I'm looking for. I always want to fight hard for the victories, as I have done in the past.”

Michael Schumacher’s stint at Ferrari is to date one of the most dominant team-driver duos, second only to Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes