Michael Schumacher, from F1 to skiing accident: 13 months and a bad omen that changed his life

The motor world misses Michael Schumacher (Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany; 1969). On December 29 will mark eight years of his tragic accident skiing in Méribel (France) and the news about his state of health continues to trickle down. His wife has taken care of it Corinna, which is one of the protagonists of the documentary Schumacher that has premiered Netflix.

“Private is private, as he always said. It is important to ensure that he continues to have his privacy and I put a lot of effort to do so”, says Corinna at the end of a film that ends with a resounding “Michael always protected us and now we protect him us to him “. 2,880 days have passed since the ‘Kaiser’ ceased to be who he always was.

Before the accident, Michael Schumacher was happy. I was free after leaving Formula 1, now yes, definitely. On November 25, 2012, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, on Interlagos, the seven-time world champion got into a car for the last time. He left his place to a Lewis Hamilton that over the years, in that same Mercedes, he would make history by reaching his number of championships.

“I’m not sad at all. I’ll do my best to get to the top and enjoy it as much as I can. And then when I get home, I’ll go for a new life again,” he confessed before saying goodbye with a seventh place. “I had a lot of fun, I had a good time, I ran relaxed,” he said free after the race. Michael, who had never liked the spotlights, went on to have the life he longed for.

Sabine Kehm, Schumacher’s agent, tells in the documentary how Michael was in his last year at the Big circus: “At races abroad sometimes we had to stay because there was no point coming home and at night she would say to myself: ‘What am I doing here? I miss Corinna and the children. Why am I so far away? I don’t want this anymore. It’s not as important as it used to be. There are other things that are more important, my family is. ‘ It was that which decided him to say goodbye three years after his return.

What happened to Michael afterwards? He did what he wanted, although he could never fully detach himself from the motor world. Only a few weeks after finishing his career in Formula 1 he was racing and winning again. It was in the Nations Cup from Champions Race in which he competed with Sebastian Vettel, then three times F1 world champion.

It would not be the only time he would be seen at the wheel before his serious accident. Michael, who as a young man did not see himself beyond being a kart driver, wanted to go back to his origins and started racing in class KZ as an official pilot. In those days of karting he came to measure against the Spanish Jaime Alguersuari and a very young Max Verstappen, son of his former teammate in Benetton, Jos Verstappen.

He was also seen in March 2013 on the back of a competition motorcycle (a CBR 1000RR of the Holzhauer Racing) with the monkey of Honda in the circuit of Valencia. The engines were still roaring for Michael, but it was clear to him that he was not going to race again in Formula 1. He rejected up to two teams (Clean, just before retiring, and Lotus, to replace Kimi Raikkonen in 2013).

Of course, Michael was still linked that year to Formula 1 in some way by helping to develop the car of Mercedes: “Without a doubt the development takes part of my signature, as also they have done the cars of the last two years”, it said. He gave Mercedes one of his last interviews, in November, and after a year away from the World Cup he confessed that he had “a good life”: “I have many other pleasant things to do,” he said when asked if he missed the Big circus.

Everything was positive in the life of Michael Schumacher, who took refuge in his wife Corinna and their children Gina and Mick. In December they traveled to Méribel, as was their tradition, to say goodbye to the year skiing. It could have been different, according to Corinna’s never-before-revealed confession: “In Méribel, a little before the accident, she told me: ‘The snow is not in good condition, we could fly to Dubai to skydive,'” she says in the documentary by Netflix.

The tragedy

On the 29th the tragedy occurred. He was skiing off-piste when, as a result of a fall, he slammed his head against a rock. He was rushed to the hospital and there he was diagnosed with serious brain injuries. In critical condition, he came to fear for his life during hours of utter uncertainty. He got over it, but was in an induced coma for months.

In June 2014 it was published that he had come out of the coma and was admitted to a rehabilitation clinic. Within months, his family would seek him to return home and enabled his mansion of Gland, on Switzerland, so that he could receive all the medical attention he needed there. Over time, without knowing for sure how he is doing, what is known is that he has experienced a remarkable improvement and that he can even watch Formula 1 races.

From this year on, he can follow his son Mick, who is racing for the first time in F1 at the wheel of one of the Haas. The youngest of the Schumachers explains in the documentary the pain caused by not being able to have his father by his side: “I think Dad and I would understand each other differently now. Even if it was only because we would speak the same language, the language of the engine. and sports. And that we would have much more to talk about. That’s where my head is most of the time, thinking about how cool it would be. I think it would be. I would give anything to have that today, “he says with a statement that breaks anyone.

The family maintains Michael’s privacy and will continue to do so. Everyone is still by his side, Corinna the most: “Of course I miss Michael. Every day. And not just me. It’s the children, the family, their father and everyone who was with him. Everyone misses I miss Michael, but Michael is here. Different, but he is here. That gives us all strength, “he says in the documentary. The ‘Kaiser’ has been fighting its toughest battle for almost years.

[Más información – Mazepin ataca a la familia Schumacher y responde a Mick: “Buscan protección en la Fórmula 1”]

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