When you think about Michael Schumacher, you can’t help but remember his first ever F1 win. It was the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, and it’s one of those races that stands out in my mind, not just for the victory, but for everything it meant.
It was August 30, 1992, and Schumacher, driving for Benetton-Ford, started from pole. From the moment the lights went out, he looked like he was in control. The way he handled that race was something else, especially for a young driver. This wasn’t just any win; it was the first win for a German driver in F1 since Jochen Mass back in 1975. For me, that made the whole thing feel extra special. It was a huge moment for German motorsport, and a moment that would mark the beginning of Schumacher’s legendary career.
What really gets me is how this win was the first of so many. We’re talking about the first of 91 Grand Prix wins, a record that would stand for years. Sure, it was surpassed by Lewis Hamilton in 2020, but at the time, it was mind-blowing to see Schumacher rise from this win to become one of the greatest drivers in F1 history.
Schumacher wasn’t just making history for Germany, though. This was the first full-length Grand Prix win by a German driver since Wolfgang von Trips’s last win back in 1961. It felt like the F1 world had shifted, and that win was like a sign of things to come.
It’s crazy to think back to that race and how it marked the end of the era of cars with H-pattern manual gearboxes. Schumacher’s win was the last time we’d see a Formula 1 car take the victory with that kind of gearbox. Little details like that make you realize how much things were about to change in F1.
Of course, Schumacher’s win wasn’t the only story. Nigel Mansell, the World Champion, finished second, and the race also gave Williams-Renault the Constructors’ Championship. But for me, it was all about Schumacher. That race was the start of his journey, and I don’t think anyone knew just how big his legacy would be back then.
Looking back now, I can’t help but smile thinking about how that race was the spark for everything that followed. Schumacher’s first win at Spa wasn’t just a victory—it was the beginning of a legend. And that’s why, for me, this race will always be one of the most special in F1 history.
