Seven-time world champion and Ferrari great Michael Schumacher was on Wednesday named the most influential person in Formula One history after a vote by fans on the sport's official website.
Schumacher beat former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone with 61% of the vote in a head-to-head final.
The result was revealed on the 70th anniversary of the first world championship grand prix at Silverstone in 1950.
“Ten days ago we embarked on a quest to find the most influential person in Formula 1 history.
“We began by asking an expert panel to come up with 32 names of those people who have had a big influence on the sport in some way during its 70-year existence.
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“We started with eight names in each of our four categories of drivers, team bosses, technical innovators and game-changers (see all 32 names in the tournament graphic below) then over a series of rounds we asked you to vote on them head-to-head until we whittled that 32 down to just two names: Bernie Ecclestone and Michael Schumacher.
“We can reveal that Schumacher emerged victorious, with 61% of the vote to Ecclestone's 39%,” Formula One reported.
The highest class of single-seater auto racing said thousands of fans had participated but did not give details.
The German holds the record for titles and race wins (91), although six-time champion Lewis Hamilton is closing in on both records.
Schumacher has not been seen in public since he suffered serious head injuries in a ski accident in 2013.
He's no stranger to winning ????????
You've voted Michael Schumacher as the most influential person in #F1 history ????#F170 pic.twitter.com/dZQnhCfvSs — Formula 1 (@F1) May 13, 2020
Schumacher's route to victory
Beat Nika Lauda, 56% to 44%
Beat Ayrton Senna, 52% to 48%
Beat Juan Manuel Fangio, 72% to 28%
Beat Enzo Ferrari, 54% to 46%
Final: Beat Bernie Ecclestone, 61% to 39%
