HAMBURG, Dec 8: A star on the Formula 1 circuit, racing driver Ralf Schumacher is anything but popular with the police in Austria after he was caught speeding and has lost his driver’s license for a third time, the tabloid Bild am Sonntag reported Sunday.

The mass-circulation paper said the younger brother of world champion Michael Schumacher was caught going 130 kilometres per hour in an 80 kph zone while racing to a Christmas party of his BMW- Williams racing team near Kitzbuehel.

“Racer Ralf”, as Bild dubbed him, was allowed to continue to the party, but will have to pay a heavy fine and will have to give up his driver’s license for now the third time in his life.

The first time was in 1996 when he was observed by traffic police from an overhead helicopter for driving too aggressively. Then in April 2001 he was clocked going 170 kph in a 100 kph zone in Austria, costing him his driver’s license for 14 days.

In addition, a year ago Ralf Schumacher plowed into a car at a highway backup near Cologne, slightly injuring a woman and causing some 17,000 dollars’ worth of damage. But he kept his license.

In an irony, under revised Formula 1 racing rules, Schumacher has a “super license” - a Formula 1 license - which permits him to compete professionally regardless of whether or not he has a regular driver’s license, Bild am Sonntag noted.—dpa