The 43-year-old German great took advantage of a collision between Lewis Hamilton and Pastor Maldonado on the penultimate lap to steer his Mercedes into a long coveted top-three finish in Valencia.
Schumacher said of his third-place finish that "it's these moments that you enjoy deeply. It's wonderful to be back after so much time.
"I didn't think about a podium, not even at the end of the race. At the end I asked the guys where we finished and the boys told me that's third. I can't believe that, I didn't expect it."
Schumacher had endured a wretched season, failing to finish five of the previous seven races and only collecting two points.
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Mercedes Formula One driver Michael Schumacher, from Germany |
Schumacher returned to the sport he had dominated for more than a decade in 2010 after a three-year hiatus, but the former Ferrari driver had so far lacked his old brilliance.
"Finally it happened! After such a long time waiting and jumping on the podium so unexpectedly, I feel extra happy," he said. "I think that was the best answer to give to everybody who started doubting our work."
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso won the thrilling race that saw both pole sitter Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull and challenger Romain Grosjean's Lotus stall on the track. Schumacher said that to reach the podium in such dramatic style only added to his joy.
"It happened in a pretty spectacular way on a track where it is difficult to pass, but due to various strategies and differences on the track (I was able to) and that's obviously the best way," he said. "If you manage the way I did today to jump the podium it makes you extra happy."
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