Michael Schumacher loophole exploit makes surprise return 27 years later

F1 2025 Esports World Champion Jarno Opmeer added another epic win to his tally, adopting a controversial tactic used by Michael Schumacher to win Wednesday’s PC F1 race.

Racing at the Silverstone circuit, where he lined up fourth on the grid, Opmeer was up to second midway through the 26-lap race but had yet to pit.

Jarno Opmeer’s Michael Schumacher styled win has yet to be confirmed

He dropped back to P4 after his pitstop, before heading into the final lap trailing race leader Otis Lawrence and Frederik Rasmussen.

But as the leading two drivers went to complete the final corner of the race, Rasmussen all over Lawrence’s rear wing, Opmeer pulled into the pits.

Asked if this “even allowed”, he replied: “I don’t see anything wrong with it. Let’s find out.”

Opmeer was awarded the win, yelling: “Yes! It f***ing worked! No way!”

PSGL final lap for the win 🤓 pic.twitter.com/U8aBk9Lj5F

— Jarno Opmeer (@jarno_opmeer) August 6, 2025

The official PremierSimGL X account called it a “controversial end”, adding that it may be one for the stewards to decide.

PSGL wrote: “As per the regulations: “The stewards may penalise drivers for incidents not reported to the stewards or not covered by this ruleset nor by the racing code.””

The stewards have yet to make a ruling, which could take several days.

Lawrence, who lost the win, initially celebrated the victory before realising what had happened.

“What! That’s not allowed. Man, no way,” he said.

Told Opmeer’s antics had to “be a penalty”, Lawrence replied: “Is that in the rule book that you’re not allowed to do that? But if it’s not in the rule book, it’s allowed.

“That’s actually embarrassing, he knows that as well.”

Opmeer’s actions, though, are not the first time a driver has won the British Grand Prix in the pit lane. Michael Schumacher did it first in 1998.

Schumacher was running second behind Mika Hakkinen in a wet-dry British Grand Prix, the McLaren driver leading by almost 50 seconds when, in worsening conditions, the stewards put the Safety Car out, negating the Finn’s advantage.

The race restarted on lap 50 with a mistake from Hakkinen two laps later elevating Schumacher into the lead.

However, the Ferrari driver had made an error of his own, overtaking Alexander Wurz under the Safety Car on lap 43, and was handed a stop-and-go penalty.

According to the rules, he had to enter the pit lane within three laps.

Schumacher did so, on the very last lap, and while doing so he crossed the finish line as that extended over the pit lane. Schumacher took the win in the pits, much to Hakkinen’s chagrin.

It led to an FIA investigation, with Ferrari blaming the stewards for failing to notify the team within the time limit for doing so.

Schumacher held onto the victory, but the three stewards involved lost their jobs.

Read next: What Lewis Hamilton’s announcement could really be about as rumours swirl