As the mists of time swirl around the finer details of Michael Schumacher’s racing career, he remains the man who conquered Formula One with a record seven world titles many believed would never e beaten. Yet as the 10 year anniversary of his tragic ski accident approaches, Michael is still being cared for in his Swiss home by full time medical staff.
In the world of motorsport where climbing the ladder requires huge sums of money, Schumacher’s family and their social circles never had the resources for Michael to even progress to Germany’s F3 division.
Weber spots precocious talent
Yet one man saw the talent Michael possessed and he was fellow German Willi Weber.
Having been persuaded he was not good enough to make it as a racing driver, Webber co-invested in an F3 team and went on the hunt for the next superstar of the future.
At a lowly Formula Ford race in Salzburg in Austria he spotted a young man racing for the first time in this category who won the race with consummate ease.
The young man was Michael Schumacher from Kerpen and Weber invited him to test for his F3 team back at Hockenheim. Convinced Schumacher had what it took to go all the way, Weber signed him and made the first of his infamous 15% commission deals.
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Weber’s connections with Mercedes-Benz saw Schumacher entered into their junior driver programme which ultimately gave him the financial backing that saw him debut for Jordan Grand Prix as a replacement for Bertrand Gachot who had just been sentenced to 2 months in prison for an altercation with a London taxi driver.
Just over three years later, Michael won the F1 drivers’ championship and the first ever German champion successfully defended his title the next season.
Weber decided to focus on Michael and F1, sold his F3 team and was the centre of all the commercial deals which turned Schumacher into one of the highest earning sportsman at that time.
Since Michael’s accident ten years ago, Weber has said little about his condition but now states he ‘no longer has hope’ of speaking to his former friend and client again.
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“No longer have any hope”
Schumacher was skiing with his son Mick in the French Alps December 29th 2013, when he sustained a serious head injury after crashing whilst traversing an off-piste area.
Michael was placed into an induced coma for almost six months before he was retuned ton th family home in Geneva, Since then his wife Corina has cared for him but rarely offered updates on the once global megastars progress.
Speaking to Express.de, Weber was questioned over his current relationship with Schumacher ten years after the accident
“Unfortunately when I think of Michael now, I no longer have any hope of seeing him again. Without any positive news after ten years,” Weber revealed.
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Medical opinion grim
At the time of Schumacher’s accident, the world’s attention was focused on his prognosis and Gary Hartstein F1 doctor and trauma specialist said:
“The fact that they undertook something almost immediately, that he was admitted to the surgical unit, suggests that something very serious has happened.”
The general consensus amongst the medical community was grim in terms of Schumacher ever making a full recovery and Corina closed up the circle of friends who were to have contact which included Former Ferrari boss, Jean Todt, who was the FIA president at the time.
Speaking to Radio Monte Carlo in 2019, Todt gave an update on his form er driver’s condition.
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Rare update from Schumacher’s wife
“I’m always careful with such statements, but it’s true. I saw the race together with Michael Schumacher at his home in Switzerland. Michael is in the best hands and is well looked after in his house. He does not give up and keeps fighting.
“His family is fighting just as much and of course our friendship can not be the same as it once was. Just because there’s no longer the same communication as before. He continues to fight. And his family is fighting the same way.”
Michael’s wife three years later gave another update to fans in July 2022.
“I miss Michael every day. But it’s not just me who misses him. It’s the children, the family, his father, everyone around him. I mean, everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here. Different, but he’s here and that gives us strength, I find.”
“We try to carry on a family as Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives. ‘Private is private’, as he always said. It is very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael.”
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Weber cut from the close circle
Since then there has been much speculation over Schumacher’s exact state of health with Bernie Ecclestone being the latest to provide comment two months ago.
“He is not with us at the moment. But when he gets better, he’ll answer all the questions,” said the former F1 supremo.
Weber who made Schumacher’s career is clearly kept out of the close circle of people Corina has established given his comments recently to an RTLspecial commemorating his maiden title win 25 years ago.
“I know that Michael has been badly hurt, but unfortunately not what progress he makes in rehab,” remarked Weber.
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Corina holds out grains of hope
“I’d like to know how he’s doing and shake hands or stroke his face. But unfortunately this is rejected by Corinna. She probably fears that I will immediately recognise what is going on and make the truth public.”
In reality no one knows exactly how Michael is, though it is unlikely as neurosurgeon Erich Riederer recently offering his opinion claimed Michael is in a “vegetative state.”
There is clearly hope from Corina that Michael will regain the ability to communicate again one day and that he has some ability to know he is in fact alive. Otherwise after ten years the hope would wear extremely thin were he completely as Riederer describes.
I think we should all respect Michael and Corina’s privacy. To Corina, I would say that caring is a marathon, not a sprint, or a fast paced grand prix. Continue to protect Michael and yourself and your family and enjoy Christmas in the ways that are best for you.
We should get proof wether Michael Schumacher is still alive. The secrecy could be purely financial in the eyes of his wife. If he was declared dead all the money would go to some estate and she does not want that as she obviously knows more than anyone else. Maybe Michael made a shocking testimony in his will which she doesn’t want to come to fruition.
Yeah. you urgently need to seek professional mental help.
Maybe, perhaps, Michael’s wishes in his living will were to be kept alive and if that were to happen not to have RUMORS spread around about his condition. Evidently his condition is the same day To day, therefore nothing for the family to publicly report. I hope his family and close friends may eventually find peace. All the great ones leave us too soon, and I personally feel he has left us. It is truly tragic that a pleasurable outdoor event caused this, imagine driving a ballistic missile with a steering wheel, every time he climbed into the car he did not know if he would be climbing out.
Michael is great . He’s become a celebrity and during his competitive years become an idol and inspiration to millions of fans. They embraced his every movement.
We respect their issue of privacy but i guess they owe the fans a glimpse of their idol.
Michael Schumacher and Mika Hekkinen. They were fighting for the championship in 1998 and that was the first time I watched F1 race live on a TV. Boy!, I was hooked to F1 and MotoGP since then. Michael is a Champion and lives in the heart of many millions of his fans. We can only pray and hope. Yes, we should respect his family’s privacy.
Michael’s driving skills were unbelievable & un beatable, his turns were always perfect, many a times, in fact in every race I recollect the sentence ” inch to inch perfect”
The accident was a massive blow to to champion Michael & family.
Thanks for everything champ
Michael is a legend that everyone should respect.
I didn’t know how to take Michael in his racing days he always seemed arrogant and big headed but one year he was interviewed on Top Gear and I like a lot of others realised how wrong I had been.
He is one of the most respected people I have ever seen interviewed and down to earth I have admired him ever since.
Where ever you are in mind and life I hope one day we get to see you again Michael because your One of the Greatest F1 drivers this world as seen.
All the best to you and your family you have my greatest respect.
Kindest Regards
Mark Oldfield UK
I immediately looked to my printout pinup of Schumi’s turning Ferrari I’ve had pinned to my board for years. Perhaps now I should begin mourning Michael like I have mourned Jimmy Clark all these years.
Why the secrecy? I understand the need for privacy but its only fair there is update on how he is doing… Also why cut off many people in his circle of friends? Something is going on here that they want people to find out…
Michael Schumacher was a LEGEND… one of a kind and still unbeatable with track theory and driving style… a TRUE CHAMPAIN… may we hear of a surprising miracle of a legend yet to be beaten. Michael we miss you… F1 has NEVER been the same since…!!! Nardus
I worked at cosworth during Michaels prime and met him ,What a great man. Obviously shocked when the accident happened and often thought of how his progress is doing. I hope its going to be like one of those films where he wakes up .
Yes I bumped into him in Glasgow we exchanged a few Tales v nice chap
Time for the common people