Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher takes history as one of the greatest racing drivers of all time.
However, Schumacher’s life changed dramatically when he was in a horrifying skiing accident on December 29, 2013.
The seven-time world champion has since been out of the public eye, his health remains private, and his family has only published rare updates.
What happened to Schumacher?
Schumacher was left in danger after an accident while skiing with his son Mick at the French ski resort of Meribel on December 29, 2013.
The 44-year-old at the time had just retired from Formula 1 twice at the end of the previous season and returned to sports with Mercedes between 2010 and 2012.
Schumacher was wearing a helmet while he was knocking over and hitting his head against a rock, but suffering serious brain injuries and fell into coma when he arrived at a French hospital.
He had surgery immediately before his second surgery at night.
The German Build newspaper reported that Schumacher’s condition had worsened and that the surgeon had drilled holes in his skull to reduce pressure on his brain.
Reports say Schumacher first complained that he only felt a little shaking before leaving the accident.
Schumacher was moved to a larger facility in Glennoble and then brought home to Switzerland, where recovery continued in September 2014.
How about Schumacher?
The Schumacher family maintains a dignified silence about the health of the 56-year-old.
2014, Telecommunications Schumacher reported being paralyzed and tied to a wheelchair.
The release of a Netflix documentary about F1 Legend’s Life provided an unusual update by the family in September 2021.
Schumacher’s wife, Colina, said the winner of the 91st Grand Prix was “not that, but he’s here.”
“He still shows me how strong he is every day,” Corina said. “We’re trying to continue as a family.”
She added:
“We will do everything we can to make Michael better and make sure he is comfortable, and to make him feel simple in our family, our bond.
“And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We will all do. And we continue to live our lives.”
Advances the 10th anniversary of the ski accident in late 2023, German media reported that Schumacher was receiving 24 hours a day care from a team of up to 15 people. He was driven in a Mercedes road car, played sounds from the Formula 1 track, stimulating his brain with familiar noise.
Schumacher’s son Mick has followed in his father’s footsteps, making his Formula 1 debut with HAAS in 2021 after winning the F2 title.
The 23-year-old spent two years with HAAS in Formula 1 and finished sixth in the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix. He is now the third driver of Mercedes, the team whose father has finished his career.
Mick first spoke publicly about his father in March 2017, describing him as “my idol” and “my role model.”
In a Schumacher Netflix documentary, Mick said he “gives everything” just to the opportunity to talk about races with his father Michael.
Who will visit Michael Schumacher?
Former Ferrari boss and former Fear president Jean Todd revealed he was watching F1 races with Schumacher and is one of the few selected people allowed to visit him.
“Don’t miss Michael, you can see him,” Todd told German TV channels. RTL. “But of course, what I miss is what we were doing together.
“Yes, that’s true – I’ll see a race with Michael.”
Eddie Jordan, the former team boss who gave young Schumacher a big break in Formula 1, is not allowed to visit, but agrees to the family’s decision.
“This was the most frightening situation for Mick and Corina,” he told the Sun.
“It’s been nearly ten years now. Corina couldn’t go to the party. She’s like a prisoner because everyone wants to talk about Michael when they don’t need to be reminded of lunch or this or this every minute.”
What do you know about Michael Schumacher?
Schumacher’s lawyer Felix Dam, explained why no final report was released on F1 Legend’s Health in 2023.
“It was always about protecting the private stuff,” he said. “We looked into whether Michael’s final health report is the right way to do this.
“But that wouldn’t have been the end of it, and it would have been left to the family when the media’s interest in the story had ceased.
“They (the media) can pick up such reports over and over again, and a month, or a few years after the message, ‘And what does that look like now?”,” he added. “If we then want to take action against this report, we must address a voluntary self-disclosure discussion.
“If it’s not yourself, but a friend or acquaintance who discloses personal information, it’s not the case of “voluntary self-disclosure” privacy. ”
In late 2024, Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to the book on Schumacher.
Books, World Championship Car: Michael Schumacherexplores the machines that F1 legend has driven throughout his career.
In his book, Hamilton wrote: “Michael is one of our sport’s legends. When you grow up with a passion for motorsport, you always look up at certain people. No doubt Michael was a role model for young drivers.
“He can admire his speed, his morality of his work, his determination and consistency – the length of his career and his top performance.”
Hamilton added: “But when it comes to Michael’s legacy, I focus on him as a person rather than a competitor.
“It’s not about the title or the trophy, it’s about the family he and Corina created together.
“Their greatness, their humility, and their integrity make me say more about Michael’s worth than ever.”
Schumacher Family Blackmail Plot
Schumacher’s family was the victim of a horrifying mail plot. The perpetrator was jailed in February 2025.
Yilmaz Tozturkan was given a three-year sentence to conspire with two other men to get private footage of Schumacher.
Tosturkan’s sons, Daniel Lyns and Schumacher’s former bodyguard Marx Fritz, were given a suspended sentence.
Tozturkan told the court:
Tyro Dam, the Schumacher family’s lawyer, later said, “We don’t know where the missing hard drive is, so there could be another threat from the back door.”
