Ralf Schumacher talks memories with his brother Michael, ten years after his terrible skiing accident
Ten years ago, Michael Schumacher suffered a serious skiing accident that left him in a coma for many months. Today, in a fragile state of health, the exact state of health of the seven-time world champion remains unknown. In an interview with Sky Germany, his brother Ralf recalled the many motorsport memories he had with the former Ferrari driver.
It has now been ten years since the world of F1 has been thinking about one of its icons. On December 29, 2013, the legend Michael Schumacher was the victim of a skiing accident in Méribel, which put him into a coma for many long months. The seven-time world champion was between life and death.
If today the former Ferrari driver is still alive, his exact health status remains unclear. Very few people, outside of the Schumacher family, can see him. Jean Todt, his former director at the reds, is one of these few privileged individuals.
In an interview given to Sky Germany radio, Ralf Schumacher reflected on the time that has passed since his brother’s accident and expressed nostalgia for the era when they were racing together in F1.
« It’s shocking to see how long ago it was and how quickly ten years have passed. I miss the time when he was my mentor, the time we spent together. It was a turning point for the whole family at that time. We agreed to not comment on it, more or less. There is still a lot of interest », declares Ralf Schumacher.
« I would sometimes like a little more peace and tranquility for the family, that people don’t ask so many questions. I believe that Michael had his time in the public eye and everything was great for him and I believe that entire generations have followed him in motorsport. But, after such a long period, it’s time to understand that you need privacy, even if it was a dramatic experience. I’m always surprised to see how many people think of Michael and that’s good. But some people still go a little too far and too close to the family », asks the German.
« Without my brother, I would never have landed in F1 »
« If you think about where our story began: on the karting track with our parents up to Formula 1 together. What we experienced was incredibly awesome. For him, of course, it was on a whole other level. But what was much more important was the journey we made together. When you look at these photos from the time he was my mechanic and my mentor. Those are wonderful memories », recalls the former Williams driver.
« Without my brother, I would never have ended up in Formula 1. Where could it have come from? You must have certain connections for that. All this costs a lot of money and it was incredibly helpful, especially with manager Willi Weber. And I am eternally grateful to both of them. Of course, at the end of the day, you have to drive a car yourself, there is no doubt about that. But you still have to open the way », thanks the forty-year-old.
« We had a great time. The most important thing about our family is that we always did things together. They are all wonderful memories, including the legendary Suzuka parties. Of course, we wouldn’t want to miss any of this, there’s no doubt about it. First and foremost, it’s great to see what Corinna has achieved, she’s really an incredibly strong woman », concludes Ralf Schumacher.
