This weekend's Belgian Grand Prix marks 25 years since Michael Schumacher claimed his first victory in Formula One with Benetton at the same venue, Spa-Francorchamps.
Over the weekend, many of the current crop of F1 drivers were asked to share their first and favourite memories of the seven-time world champion. We have rounded up the best of the responses below.
Daniel Ricciardo, a Ferrari fan when growing up, spoke of his memories of racing against Schumacher for the first time, as well as some special praise he received from the German...
"The first proper on track memory, obviously as a kid I have memories, but for me when I was there I was pinching myself that I was actually racing on the same track as him and on the same day. Then with Toro Rosso, it was Suzuka 2012 I was basically defending him in the race for the last point, and a point for us was like a podium. I felt I learned a lot that day watching him in my mirrors, so it was kind of weird. I felt like I learned from him even he was behind me I could feel what he was doing.
"I felt like we were on the same page that day, and that was encouraging for my career, but really cool. The next race on the driver's parade he gave me a little pat on the back and said you defended really well in the last race. I will always remember that, that was pretty nice. I was a fan as a kid. We were a Ferrari family. Everyone has seen the picture of me as a kid with a Ferrari T shirt. So naturally we were fans of Michael."
Having matched Schumacher's long-standing pole position record in qualifying on Saturday with a lap worthy of equalling Schumacher's tally, Lewis Hamilton revealed he used to race as the former Ferrari driver when he played computer racing games during his childhood...
"I mentioned earlier on my kind of first and favourite memory of seeing Michael come by [Spa 1996], but just like Sebastian I grew up watching him and when I racing on computer games I would play as Michael the majority of the time. Having the privilege to race with him in Kerpen many years ago. I've always had fond memories of him. Another good one was in Abu Dhabi just before he left, I plucked up the courage to go and ask him if he would swap helmets with me and he was welcoming and did. That's got to be one of the coolest things I have in my house."
Another German driver attempting to forge his own legendary status at Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel, says fellow countryman and multiple world champion Schumacher has always been his hero...
"Well it's not fair to pick one moment. I think the fact we are both from the same country makes it easier to get closer to him. I know him for a very very long time. From the age of six, seven, I met him for the first time he was handing over the trophies to the kids at the go-kart tracks in Kerpen, his home track, not far away from here. It was massive. We were more than a hundred kids and he took the time to shake all of our hands, hand over the trophies so as a child I think that was indescribable. Obviously he was my hero. I had posters everywhere in my room, he was pretty much the only guy I followed when I was young.
"A big inspiration and I think we had a lot of good moments, fun moments. As a child it's different, you're just starstruck in a way, he's my hero, what do I say? I don't know. Later on I got to know him and really get along. He's a great guy, good fun and I think the admiration for his skills is the same as day one, we shared a lot of good moments at the Race of Champions together. You can argue about the format and so on, but you still have to drive different cars, adapt and the way he drives a go-kart is, I don't know, it's just so different to anybody else I have ever seen. I don't know how I look from the outside but I know I don't look like that. Many moments. Sober and not sober, so it's hard to pick one."
Valtteri Bottas remembers Schumacher's legendary rivalry with fellow Finn Mika Hakkinen, whose on-track battles shaped F1 in the late nineties and early 2000's...
"I remember watching on TV all the battles he used to have against Mika Hakkinen on the nineties and that was really good to watch. I remember how excited I was always on Sunday mornings, waking up knowing there was going to be another exciting battle on track. And I also remember -- that's not such a long time ago -- when I did Friday practices for Williams, it was the first time I was on track at the same time as Michael, that was quite special for me."