Sports
Schumacher family heartbreaks – ‘estrangement, blackmail and secret surgeries’
Michael Schumacher’s brother Ralf came out as gay over the weekend in an emotional statement – throwing the F1 family back into the spotlight.
Despite a successful career in racing, Ralf’s accomplishments were seemingly overshadowed by his legendary older brother – the seven-time World Drivers champion who suffered a catastrophic brain injury. Ralf largely stayed out of the limelight as the lesser-known of the brothers and after driving for Williams and Toyota, earning six wins and 27 podium finishes, he retired from motorsport in 2012.
The 49-year-old, who has gone on to enjoy a lucrative career as an entrepreneur and a pundit in Germany, was married to his ex-wife, Cora, for 14 years before their divorce in 2015. But he’s now revealed a new same-sex relationship after sharing an image of himself arm-in-arm with a man looking out at the sea with the moving caption: “The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything.”
It is believed the star is coupled up with his business manager, a Frenchman named Etienne. Schumacher’s post was instantly met with a wave of positivity online. However he is believed to be suffering from hidden heartache, having reportedly lost touch with his immediate family.
Ralf has the support of his racing driver son, David, who is said to be estranged from his OnlyFans model mum Cora, MailOnline reports. But Ralf has previously opened up about losing contact with Michael and his sister-in-law Corinna following the life-changing accident.
“When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles,” Ralf told German magazine Bunte in November as he detailed his distant relationship with the family. “If someone in the family is looking for my advice, I’m there. They go their own way.”
He then admitted: “I miss the Michael of the old days. Life is unfair from time to time. Michael was very lucky throughout his life. But then there was this tragic accident. Michael wasn’t only my brother. When we were kids, he was also my coach and mentor. He taught me literally everything about kart racing.”
Michael’s wife Corinna is reportedly working behind the scenes to keep the Schumacher clan together as she keeps a fiercely protective grip on her husband’s visits. Earlier this month, it emerged that the family were blackmailed by men threatening to release images of the F1 legend in a plot involving a former security guard.
Promoted Stories
It was reported last month by Bild that two men, a father and son, had been arrested by German police after targeting Schumacher’s family in an attempt to extort millions of pounds out of them. Further details were outlined with reports from Germany claiming that the mastermind behind the plot, which was thought to be worth around €15million (£12m), has now been arrested. The development came after two other men, Yilmaz T., a 53-year-old doorman, and his son, 30, from Wuppertal, were arrested last month.
It’s alleged that they had sensitive images of Schumacher in the immediate aftermath of his accident and had told the family they ‘would not want (the pictures) published’ while demanding payment. It’s said they had promised a commission to the former security guard involved in the plot and had even sent images to the family to back up their claims.
The news comes after more than a decade since Michael Schumacher suffered the tragic accident that changed his life forever. Since that fateful day in the French Alps during Christmas 2013, the Formula One legend is yet to be publicly seen, while his catastrophic injuries have been shrouded in mystery.
The German driver had been skiing with his family before he went off-piste and lost control. The 55-year-old hit a boulder and suffered serious damage to his head, with his helmet saving his life. Following the incident on December 29, the seven-time world champion was left fighting for his life and was placed in a medically induced coma.
THERE IS COMMENT BOX AFTER THE ADS, SHARE YOUR THOUGHT WITH US
A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
THERE IS COMMENT BOX AFTER THE ADS, SHARE YOUR THOUGHT WITH US
Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
THERE IS COMMENT BOX AFTER THE ADS, SHARE YOUR THOUGHT WITH US
