© Reuters

Early years - Michael Schumacher was born January 3, 1969 in Hürth, West Germany. He demonstrated an early interest in motor racing, and joined a karting club at age four.

© BrunoPress

Karting king - Throughout the 1980s the young Schumacher won numerous German and European kart championships.

© BrunoPress

The right formula - By 1988 he was racing in the German Formula Ford and Formula König series.

© Getty Images

Prodigious talent -

Motorsport and Formula Three soon beckoned, and the prodigious new talent promptly won the German Formula Three series title in 1990. Here's pictured in the back (#5) in the title-winning German Formula Three car from that year.

© Getty Images

Eyes on the prize - World Sportscar Championships wins followed in 1990 and 1991. He also  competed at Le Mans. But Schumacher was gearing up for the big prize—Formula One!

© Getty Images

Formula 1 debut -

The German driver made his Formula One debut with the Jordan-Ford team at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. Unfortunately he retired on the first lap of the race with clutch problems.

© Getty Images

Benetton (1991–1995) - Still finding his feet, the burgeoning F1 driver, now racing for Benetton-Ford, finished the 1991 season with four points out of six races. The following year he  took his place on the podium for the first time, finishing third in the Mexican Grand Prix.

© Getty Images

Glory - The German crowd celebrates after Schumacher wins the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim in August 1995.

© Getty Images

World Championship years (1994–1995) - The 1994 season was Schumacher's first Drivers' Championship. However that year was marred by tragedy with the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna (witnessed by Schumacher, who was directly behind the Brazilian in second place at the San Marino Grand Prix). In 1995 he successfully defended his title.

© BrunoPress

Ferrari (1996–2006) - In 1996, Schumacher joined Ferrari. He won five world titles with the Italian team. 

© Reuters

Thrills and spills - Schumacher crashes in practice during the Australian Grand Prix 2001. Fortunately he wasn't hurt in the accident.

© Reuters

Triumph! - The driver, raising a bottle of champagne, reacts to jubilant Ferrari team members with Ferrari Motorsport team manager Jean Todt after winning the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuki on October 8, 2000.

© Reuters

A-lister - Mixing with celebrities, including late actor Sean Connery, at the Laureus Sports Awards 2002 in Monaco.

© BrunoPress

Heartbroken - Ralf and Michael Schumacher walk behind the coffin of their mother Elisabeth Schumacher, who died in 2003 aged just 55.

© Reuters

Friends and rivals - Listening to old friend and rival Alain Prost during a public engagement.

© BrunoPress

Two greats in their chosen sport - Brazilian soccer legend Pelé shares a joke with Schumacher during a social event in December 2003.

© BrunoPress

The female touch - The Ferrari driver posing with the Formula One girls before the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne.

© Getty Images

Happily married - But Schumacher is happily married! The seven-time Formula One champion is seen here arriving with wife Corinna at the 2006 FIA Awards in Monaco.

© Reuters

Schumacher shocks the world - Schumacher lifts the trophy on the podium after winning the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza race track in northern Italy September 10, 2006. It was while on the podium that he announced his retirement from F1.

© Reuters

Retirement -

Formula 1 figures, including Niki Lauda, hailed Schumacher as the greatest all-round driver in the history of the sport. He stayed on with Ferrari as an adviser and test driver, but the lure of getting back into the competitive driving seat proved too strong.

© Getty Images

Influence of Niki Lauda - The German driver with one of his great heroes, the late Austrian F1 driver Niki Lauda.

© BrunoPress

Mercedes (2010–2012) - In December 2009 it was announced that Schumacher would be returning to Formula One in the 2010 season. The driver is pictured with his manager, Sabine Kehm.

© BrunoPress

Return from retirement - Schumacher drives his Mercedes during qualifying for the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo José Carlos Pace on November 24, 2012 in São Paulo, Brazil.

© Getty Images

"Past it?" - The 2010 season was a disappointing one for the German. He finished the season in ninth, with 72 points without a win, pole position, podium or fastest lap. Some commentators suggested that the once great driver was "past it."

© BrunoPress

2011 season - Schumacher fared better in 2011, driving well in several races. By now however he was up against a new generation of drivers, including a young man called Lewis Hamilton.

© BrunoPress

Final season - The veteran F1 driver did celebrate with champagne in Valencia at the European Grand Prix in 2012, his only podium place in his Mercedes-period.

© BrunoPress

Time to quit... again! - Despite setting the fastest lap in a Grand Prix for the 77th time in his career in Germany, and becoming the second driver in history to race in 300 Grands Prix, the writing was on the wall for Schumacher: he was replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the 2013 season.

© BrunoPress

End of an era - In October 2012, Schumacher announced he would retire for a second time at the conclusion of the season. It marked the end of an era dominated by the man from Hürth.

© BrunoPress

Tragedy - On December 29, 2013, Schumacher was skiing with his 14-year-old son Mick in Méribel, found in the French Alps. While doing some backcountry skiing, he fell and hit his head on a rock. Pictured: the location of the accident.

© BrunoPress

Serious injuries - Despite wearing a ski helmet, the former F1 driver sustained serious head injuries. He was later put into a medically induced coma because of traumatic brain injury. Since the accident, very little information has been released by his family about the sport star's condition, and no photographs have been taken.

© BrunoPress

#KeepFightingMichael - The world of F1 has not forgotten their stricken friend.

© BrunoPress

Mick Schumacher -

Now the world's eyes are on his son. Mick Schumacher races for Mercedes in F1 as a reserve driver.

See also: Sports stars you didn't know had medical conditions

© Getty Images