Before the seven world championships, the Ferrari years and the global superstardom, there was 1994.
Netflix has released the official trailer for Schumacher ’94 – The Birth of a Legend, a new documentary returning to the season that transformed 25-year-old Michael Schumacher from one of Formula 1’s brightest young talents into its newest world champion.
And it was anything but a straightforward journey.
Schumacher began the season by winning the Brazilian Grand Prix for Benetton and quickly established himself as a championship contender. What followed became one of the most dramatic and controversial years in Formula 1 history.
There were dominant victories, technical disputes, accusations surrounding Benetton, disqualifications and suspensions — all while the sport was dealing with something far more serious.
The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend claimed the lives of Roland Ratzenberger and three-time world champion Ayrton Senna, changing Formula 1 forever.
Against that extraordinary backdrop, Schumacher continued his fight for the championship.
The title eventually came down to the final race in Adelaide, where Schumacher entered the Australian Grand Prix just one point ahead of Damon Hill. Their controversial collision ended both drivers’ races, leaving Schumacher as Formula 1 World Champion for the first time.
But Schumacher ’94 isn’t simply interested in race results.
The documentary also looks at the young man behind the helmet and the sudden explosion of “Schumi Mania” across Germany. Personal archive footage and interviews reveal a much more intimate side of a driver who was rapidly becoming one of the biggest sporting figures in Europe.
Corinna Schumacher, then Michael’s girlfriend and later his wife, is central to that perspective.
She is joined by figures including former Benetton boss Flavio Briatore, Bernie Ecclestone, David Coulthard, Schumacher’s former manager Willi Weber and members of the Formula 1 world who witnessed his rise first-hand.
Directed by Christin Freitag, the film traces the season from Schumacher’s victory in Brazil through to that unforgettable championship finale in Australia.
It was the first of seven world titles.
But more importantly, it was the year Michael Schumacher stopped being simply a promising Formula 1 driver.
He became Schumi.
Schumacher ’94 – The Birth of a Legend premieres worldwide on Netflix on October 2, 2026.
