Ayrton Senna vs Michael Schumacher: Who was better?

Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher are two of the most iconic names in the history of Formula 1, and both are among the greatest drivers in the sport’s history.

There will always be a debate about which of the two legends is the best of the pair. Both raced against each other in Formula 1 from Schumacher’s debut in 1991 until Senna’s untimely death in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Senna and Schumacher never really fought each other for the World Drivers’ Championship in Formula 1. 1994 looked like the year where both would be fighting until the very end for the crown, but Senna’s sad crash at Imola on May 1st, 1994, was simply a tragedy on all areas.

Well, had Ayrton Senna survived and retired whenever he wanted to, the stats of these legendary champions would’ve probably looked similar, as Senna could’ve possibly taken wins and titles from the German icon.

Ayrton Senna’s Career Achievements

Senna had 41 victories in 161 starts, with 80 podiums and 65 Pole Positions (a record until 2006). Senna’s 41 wins were second all-time at the time of his death.

What Teams Did Senna Race For?

The Brazilian won three Formula 1 World Championships in his career (from 1984 to 1994) and competed for Toleman, Lotus, McLaren and Williams. He won six races for Lotus and 35 for McLaren.

His three titles came for McLaren in 1988, 1990 and 1991.

Michael Schumacher’s Career Achievements

On Schumacher’s side, he finished his career with 91 victories, 68 Pole Positions and 155 podiums (all records at the time of his retirement). He drove for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes.

Moreover, he won seven Formula 1 World Championships. The German won with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, and with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004.

At the start of Schumacher’s career, while Senna was in his prime, most cars did not have semi-automatic transmissions yet.

The semi-automatic transmissions took over in the following years, and some cars would automatically shift gears. In 1994, fully automatic transmissions were banned, while the software returned from 2001 to 2004 when Schumacher dominated with Ferrari.

Active suspensions and traction control started to come to life in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Both were banned, but traction control returned in 2001, again during Michael Schumacher’s dominant run with the Scuderia Ferrari.

Both champions are legends of the sport and have strong cases to be considered F1’s greatest racer.

Still, the most important aspect of this debate is to fully respect the achievements of both sides and give credit to the unique careers both drivers were able to build during their time.