Michael Schumacher was worshipped as a hero and a genius during his illustrious Formula One career, but not everyone shared this admiration for the icon.

The German won seven world championships between 1994 and 2004 before retiring from the sport in 2012. This dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s has undoubtedly established the divisive figure as one of the greatest drivers to have ever raced in F1, with many arguing that he is indeed top of the pile.

That said, Schumacher was lamented by many for his aggressive tactics on the track, and this, to an extent, polarised him amongst his competitors. The legendary figure was involved in several heated championship battles, with the likes of Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and Fernando Alonso all engaging with him in feisty fights for the title.

However, few of these conflicts quite provoked the level of hatred that British F1 icon Damon Hill has claimed he has for Schumacher.

Damon Hill Explained his Relationship with Schumacher

Heading into the final race of the 1994 season, F1 had one of the most enticing battles in Championship history on its hands. Schumacher, driving for Benetton, and Hill, representing Williams, were one point apart.

The Brit trailed the German, and thus, he knew he needed to beat his counterpart to win the title. With Schumacher going for the first Championship of his career, Hill was prepared for his rival to do everything in his power to come out on top.

On lap 35, the Williams driver sensed an opportunity to overtake his opposite number. Schumacher had run wide and brushed the wall, creating space for Hill to drive past him as he came out of the corner with momentum. However, Schumacher controversially blocked Hill's car at the last minute, resulting in a collision which forced both drivers to retire from the race, ultimately handing the Benetton star the Championship.

Unsurprisingly, despite admitting that they got on away from the track, Hill revealed in an interview back in 2024 that he 'hated' Schumacher on the track, and that the feeling was mutual. He told BILD:

This resentment from Hill extends beyond what happened in 1994. After failing to beat Schumacher to the title the following year, the London-born man finally usurped his nemesis in 1996.

Hill said that Schumacher was 'embarrassed' to have lost and this led to an 'awkward moment' between the pair.

“He was embarrassed [by the defeat] and didn’t know how to respond to someone who had beaten him,” Hill told The Guardian in 2025.

“It was an awkward moment. I tried to have conversations with him and it wasn’t possible. Our values were different.

“I was nowhere near as good as him, and I’m never going to pretend that I was. But having him as a foil brought out the most I could get out of myself, and I know what it’s like to get driven absolutely to the maximum. Sometimes I was a match for him, but aged 36, it was hard. He was 26, and I was fighting the clock.”

The 1996 Championship was Hill's only title, and he retired just three years later in 1999.