Feature: the Schumacher Brothers Hit 100

Damon Hill groaned when he first heard that Ralf Schumacher was following older brother Michael into Formula One.

"I thought the world could only bear one Schumacher," muttered Britain's 1996 World Champion, Michael's bitter foe, before Ralf's debut with Jordan in 1997. "Now we have two."

Another Champion saw the bright side when the German brothers made history and finished first and second in the 2001 Canadian Grand Prix. "Lucky there's not three of them," grinned Mika Hakkinen.

The siblings write their names on another milestone in their remarkable Formula One careers in Austria this weekend with their 100th Grand Prix together.

The century would have been reached in Japan at the end of last season had Ferrari's World Champion Michael not been absent for six Grands Prix in 1999 when he broke his leg.

The chances are that both will be in the points at Spielberg, a home race for local resident Ralf and one where Michael won controversially last year in a race marred by 'team orders'.

Formula One has seen brothers before, notably Brazilians Emerson and Wilson Fittipaldi with 35 starts together in the 1970s, but none as successful as the Kerpen two.

In the past six years, they have banged wheels in anger and been through triumph, trauma and tragedy together. Both have been winners, taking pole positions and sharing the front row of the starting grid.

Best Ever

Michael, with a record 66 career wins, now has his sights set on an unprecedented sixth Championship title, after equalling the late Juan Manuel Fangio's five last year.

Ralf, with just four wins for Williams, would be delighted for his brother. But he would be happier still to be in with a shout himself.

There was a moment last year when it looked as if Ralf, triumphant in Malaysia, could take up the torch as Michael's main rival but that hope was soon snuffed out. And, BMW-powered Williams have struggled to match McLaren and Renault, let alone Ferrari, this season.

Yet the fastest brothers in world motorsport lined up together again on the front row at last month's San Marino Grand Prix despite the death of their mother that morning. In her lifetime, she had seen both boys progress from go-karts to become Grand Prix winners.

Michael's first victory came in Belgium in 1992, when a baby-faced Ralf was still living at home with his mother. By the time the younger Schumacher arrived on the scene, big brother was a Champion twice already.

The problem for Ralf, as some commentators soon pointed out, was that he aspired to be the quickest driver in the world without being even the best in his own family.

He may have to wait until Michael, now 34 and seven years older, retires before he can be truly liberated but Ralf's abilities are no longer in any doubt.

"My name is Schumacher," he said before his 1997 debut. "I just want to prove that I am me, that's all.

"I have no problem with Michael's status, that's for sure. He is the best Formula One driver in the world. I would say that even if he were not my brother.

"My aim is not particularly to beat him, nor to try and jump out of his shadow. I simply don't have a problem with all that. My results will make me my own man or not."

First Win

Ralf still has just one pole position to Michael's 53 but 2001 marked a breakthrough with the brothers together on the front row six times.

Ralf had a first win at Imola that year and there was another one-two finish in France. They have been together in the points 40 times.

But Ralf, who collided with Michael on the first lap of the 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, has faced accusations that he is too easy on his brother.

Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport referred to him last year as "the man capable of winning four races without ever pulling off an overtaking manoeuvre and whom some malicious voices inside Williams have nicknamed Ferrari's third driver."

There was no question of that last month at Imola, where Ralf kept the Champion's red Ferrari behind him until the first pitstop.

"I'm not the nice brother and I'm not soft," he told reporters in 2002 after following Michael home one-two in Brazil. "I have to attack him and beat him. I can win the world title, so I'm not going to let him pass me."

Nor is Michael soft. He squeezed the Williams towards a concrete wall at the Nurburgring in 2001 as they sped off the front row. Ralf, furious, was forced to back off.

"I would do this to anyone," said Michael afterwards. "And he doesn't give me any presents either."