The health status of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has been kept under wraps since his life-altering skiing accident.
The 55-year-old racing icon hasn’t been seen in public since the tragedy in December 2013, and it’s believed he spends his days in a home-based hospital facility receiving round-the-clock care. His family have remained tight-lipped about his condition, with his devoted wife, Corinna, understood to be extremely selective about whom she allows to visit.
The family is now reportedly fighting to keep details about his health confidential amidst an ongoing blackmail trial involving his former bodyguard. Markus Fritsche – who worked for Schumacher until around 2021 – is accused of aiding in the blackmail of the family and allegedly used hundreds of personal photos, videos and the driver’s medical records.
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He has now appeared in court in Germany alongside Yilmaz Tozturkan, a bouncer, and his son, IT specialist Daniel Lins, over the alleged extortion plot. Tozturkan is accused of threatening to release family photos on the dark web unless they paid £12,000,000 (€15,000,000).
Corinna has lodged a request for the case to be heard privately, meaning the public could be barred from the hearing if her husband’s health is discussed, according to German newspaper Bild. MailOnline (via Wales Online) reported Fritsche allegedly told Tozturkan over a coffee that he was “in possession of this material, and he asked if we could do anything with it.”
There has been speculation the tight-knit circle surrounding Ferrari icon Schumacher had loosened after he was reportedly present at his daughter Gina-Maria’s nuptials to Iain Bethke earlier this year. The 27-year-old equestrian star tied the knot on September 28 at the family’s opulent £27million Majorca villa.
German press reported Schumacher attended the event, with guests said to have been asked to surrender their mobile phones to prevent any images of Michael from being captured. However, these assertions have been disputed by Schumacher’s long-standing companion, Johnny Herbert.
In a conversation with Flashscore, former F1 driver and Le Mans champion Herbert dismissed the gossip as ‘fake news’. He said: “It will always be a closed shop. The most recent rumour was he attended his daughter’s wedding. Unfortunately, from what I understand that was all A1 fake news and no truth in it.”
Neurosurgeon Jussi Posti has also weighed in and cast doubt on the rumours given Schumacher’s condition. He acknowledged Schumacher had previously travelled between his residence and the property in Majorca but expressed scepticism to Iltalehti (via Marca).
“If a hospital has been built in his house, with everything medicalised around him, it seems that he has been in hospital most of the time,” said the doctor. “Based on the information available, I don’t think he leads a very active life. Everything points to him being unwell. As bedridden patients, most people become so frail and stiff that it is no longer possible to get them out of bed after so many years.”
The devastating accident that left Schumacher battling for his life sent shockwaves across the sporting world. The biggest name in F1 history sustained a brain injury when he struck his head on a rock while skiing with son Mick in the French Alps.
His helmet absorbed much of the impact, but his brain injury was still severe, and he spent months in a medically induced coma after undergoing two life-saving operations. From the outset of the ordeal, Michael’s family made every effort to keep details of his condition private, although a few updates were provided.
Initially, it was conveyed that he was in a critical state, with his life in the balance. In April 2014, they shared some hopeful news and said Schumacher had “moments of consciousness and awakening.”
Later that summer, it was announced Michael had emerged from his coma and was transferred to a rehabilitation clinic. By September 2014, he had been brought back to his family home on Lake Geneva, where a medical team and wife Corinna provided round-the-clock care.
Having dedicated herself to preserving her husband’s dignity, Corinna has allowed only a select few trusted friends and relatives to visit him under strict protocols. Information about Schumacher’s health and ongoing treatment is still shared with only a select few.
In late 2014, Schumacher’s health status was inadvertently revealed by Philippe Streiff, an ex-racing driver and friend, who shared that Michael was paralysed and wheelchair-bound. Streiff, also confined to a wheelchair due to a racing incident, said: “He is getting better but everything is relative. It’s very difficult. He can’t speak. Like me, he is in a wheelchair paralysed. He has memory problems and speech problems.”
Former Ferrari and F1 boss Jean Todt has spoken highly of Corinna’s dedication to her husband’s care, acknowledging the “miraculous survival” of the F1 legend, albeit with lasting effects. In a conversation with Bild, Todt said: “I’ve spent a lot of time with Corinna since Michael had his serious skiing accident on December 29, 2013.
“She is a great woman and runs the family. She hadn’t expected that. It happened suddenly and she had no choice. But she does it very well. I trust her, she trusts me. Thanks to the work of his doctors and the cooperation of Corinna, who wanted him to survive, he survived – but with consequences.”
In September 2020, it emerged Schumacher had been spending more time in Majorca, which coincided with his daughter Gina’s wedding, and additional distressing details about his condition were brought to light. Elisabetta Gregoraci, the ex-wife of former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore, told Spanish media: “Michael doesn’t speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him and I know who they are.”
She further claimed on the Italian version of Big Brother: “They moved to Spain, and his wife has set up a hospital in that house.”
The Netflix documentary ‘SCHUMACHER’, released in 2021, featured Corinna emphasising the importance of her husband’s privacy as she said: “We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives. It’s 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.”
That privacy was put at risk over the summer when an alleged blackmail attempt by Tozturkan and Lins threatened to leak sensitive images of the motorsport great. Despite these heart-wrenching challenges, the family has remained strong, continuing to share touching tributes to Michael and reminiscing about happier times.
In January, Mick and Gina posted childhood photos on social media to celebrate their dad’s birthday. Mick said: “Happy birthday to the best dad ever. Love you.” Gina captioned her own nostalgic post, which read: “Happy Birthday Papa! Throwback to one of many of our adventures.”
Tragically, it seems that some family ties have been stretched thin over time. Michael’s younger brother, Ralf, last year shared his heartache about losing contact with the family after the devastating accident.
Speaking to German publication Bunte, Ralf – who also fashioned a successful racing career – said: “When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles. If someone in the family is looking for my advice, I’m there. They go their own way.
“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.”