Is there life after death? Are there second chances in life?
These any many other existential questions have often plagued mankind. Michael Schumacher's retirement announcement last year has thrown the world of Formula 1 into a similar turmoil for these moment. There is an urgent need for a star and legend to come to the fore immediately. The void is too large to fill, but someone needs to be identified as the Kaiser's successor.

But can one man's presence or absence make such a big difference? 'Michael you are the champion, today and forever,' said one banner when his retirement was announced. This and other such emotions that came about after his announcement show how much he means to Formula 1 and fans of the sport. And with a record as glittering as his it's not surprising either. But Schumacher's aura is not just about race wins and records. In a 16-year career, Schumacher won 91 race wins, 7 world championships, raced with three different teams, scored 154 podium finishes, 68 pole positions and also recorded 76 fastest laps.

Since his debut in 1991 for Jordan, Schumacher rose steadily through the ranks and in just his third year of Formula 1 racing, won the world title for Benetton-Ford. He retained his title in 1995 with the same team before moving on to Ferrari for an 11-year long association. When he joined Ferrari, he had said that one of his main ambitions was to bring Ferrari back to the top of the racing world where it belonged. At the time, Ferrari's status in racing contradicted its glittering history and aura.

True to his word, Schumacher stuck it out at Ferrari through the good and bad times. The first four years were not good, but Schumacher helped develop the car and from 2000, started the Schumacher-Ferrari era, one that ended with five titles! In the case of Formula 1, it can easily be said that it was Schumacher who made Ferrari great. His last two seasons at the team, though were not as perfect as the preceding five, but Schumacher stayed in the top three when critics said the Ferrari was not good enough. But his greatness shines through in the fact that when his team-mates were not in the top 5, Schumacher would regularly win races and stay in contention for the title.

His career was not devoid of controversies, though. The worst of these would perhaps be the 'title-deciding' crashes in 1994 and 1997 when he denied Damon Hill on both occasions. In 1997, though, the FIA punished Schumacher for causing an avoidable accident and he was disqualified from the year's championship standings.

Despite all his flaws for the outside world, he was loved at Ferrari. 'He's been an inspirational figure I'd say,'; said Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn. And for being loyal to the same team and putting in the effort to ensure there was a good car, Schumacher's time spent at the factory has always been admired. When one is so popular and near to greatness, though, there will obviously be detractors. Damon Hill accedes that Schumacher has a terrific temperament and that he has ruled F1, but he also believes that Schumacher's dominance was bad for the sport. "Brilliant driver though he is, I think he has not been good for the sport," says Hill. He was perhaps one of the very few to actually say that he is "happy to see Schumacher retire"!

Schumacher's ethics have always been questionable but his talent behind the wheel was never questioned. Schumacher is the most dominant F1 driver of all time and owns almost every record there is. But who is the greatest of all time? Ayrton Senna was loved and mourned just as fervently, Juan Manuel Fangio was the earliest dominator and a true legend while drivers like Alain Prost have left an indelible mark in the history of the sport. But the tag "all-time great" is perhaps only for Schumi.