Schumacher famously took Damon Hill out to win the title in 1994, and tried unsuccessfully to do the same to Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.

BBC: Hamilton cannot take title for granted

Most famously, Damon Hill's contract was not renewed at the end of 1996 even though he won the world championship that year.

BBC: Williams pledge to keep Ralf

Meanwhile, Damon Hill, the last Briton to win the Formula One title back in 1996, said he believed Hamilton would eventually win the championship.

BBC: Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen

"The team didn't say anything so I thought I was shot, " said Hamilton, who became Britain's ninth world champion and the first since Damon Hill in 1996.

BBC: Ecstatic Hamilton revels in glory

Yoong and his team-mate Mark Webber of Australia, as well as former world champion Damon Hill, will also drive the two-seaters in the "Thunder in the Park II" event.

BBC: Herta to get taste of F1

The 23-year-old is seeking to become the fifth repeat winner of the event and the first Briton since Damon Hill 12 years ago to win three straight F1 races.

CNN: Hamilton heads McLaren 1-2 in Hungary qualifying

The 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix was canceled after drivers, including former Formula One star Damon Hill, raised concerns after the death of at least 35 demonstrators in a clampdown on unrest.

CNN: SHARE THIS

Schumacher, who is putting an end to his second stint in Formula One this weekend, famously ran into his title rival, Damon Hill, in the final race of the 1994 season.

WSJ: Vettel Leaves Nothing to Chance

But even if Massa wins, Hamilton only needs to finish fifth for McLaren to become Britain's first world champion since Damon Hill in 1996 and the youngest ever in the history of the sport.

BBC: Massa on pole as Hamilton falters

"When you had Prost and Senna fighting it out in the same team, there's no question to the caliber of each driver, very different personalities and great drivers, " 1996 world champion Damon Hill told CNN.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill, president of the BRDC, said on Tuesday that he feared the future of the British GP is far from certain because of competition from around the world - such as countries like Korea.

BBC: F1 boss urges Silverstone to sign

After an enthralling race on Suzuka's figure-of-eight circuit, Vettel joined the list of champions, which includes Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Damon Hill, who have been crowned in Japan and becomes only the ninth driver to take back-to-back titles.

BBC: By Sarah Holt