The day Schumacher drew level with Juan Manuel Fangio

On this day in 2002, Michael Schumacher clinched his fifth F1 World Championship, equaling the outstanding record held by the great Juan Manuel Fangio.

It was an incredibly early coronation for the Ferrari driver who sealed the title at the 11th round of the championship - out of 17 races - by winning the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours.

It hadn't been an easy affair however, with Schumacher penalised with a drive-through for putting a wheel over the white line at the pit exit.

But the German battled his way back up to second before McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen ran wide on oil at the Adelaide hairpin five laps from the end and handed the victory to Schumacher.

It was a handful of difficult and nerve-racking laps thereafter for the Ferrari driver who raced to the checkered flag aware that a historic fifth crown lay ahead.