By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-01 12:06:27 | Updated at 2024-10-07 22:17:34
6 days ago
This December marks 11 years since Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher's life was changed forever in a horrific alpine ski accident.
In the years since, his closest family, led by his wife, Corinna, 55, have guarded the seven-times F1 champion's privacy so fiercely, he hasn't been pictured in public once since that fateful day in December 2013.
It's a lock-down that has extended to within the walls of the Schumachers' luxury Spanish and Swiss estates too, with few very family members - said to be just three people - allowed access to spend time with the now 55-year-old, whose health condition has never been revealed to his fans.
The Formula 1 legend was 44 when he sustained the life-changing brain injury that would see his public life abruptly end, and such unwavering secrecy and security around the racing driver's life now has seen his extended family relationships crumble - most notably with his younger brother, Ralf, 49.
Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, now 55, hasn't been seen in public since he suffered a life-changing brain injury while skiing in December 2013 - but is said to have been present at his daughter Gina's wedding at the family home in Mallorca this weekend
Michael's wife of nearly 30 years, Corinna, 55, has fiercely protected her husband's privacy since his accident - to the extent that family relations have suffered, but there appears to have been a more relaxed approach in recent months (pictured at the Monza Gran Prix in Italy on September 1st)
However, there are increasingly signs that Michael's closest protector, Corinna, might finally be ready to open up the couple's world a little more.
Behind the potential easing of relations are three major family events in recent months that are helping to mend bonds broken by tragedy.
This weekend's glamourous wedding of the Schumachers' daughter Gina, 27, to Iain Bethke at the Schumachers' luxury Mallorca villa - an exclusive four-acre estate high above the glitzy resort of Port d'Andratx, saw the wider Schumacher family invited in to celebrate the couple's nuptials.
Happy events in the couple's two children's lives could be instrumental in bringing the wider Schumacher family back together, pictured left: Gina Schumacher at her wedding to Iain Bethke this weekend. Right: Mick Schumacher, the couple's son, appears to become engaged this week to long-term girlfriend Laila Hasanovic
While privacy was still without compromise - guests' phones were left at the door, it's suggested the wedding marked the first time Michael has been allowed to be seen in a public setting, as he watched his eldest child walk down the aisle.
And now, it appears there could be cause for another Schumacher family celebration to further offer a balm to family relationships - as the couple's son Mick and his long-term girlfriend lingerie model Laila Hasanovic could soon also race to the altar. Hasanovic shared a photo this weekend of a ring on her finger, alongside the words 'Then it's game over'.
In the past, Michael's brother Ralf, himself a former F1 driver, has criticised the way his sister-in-law has created a ring of privacy around his brother - but his own life change, coming out as gay earlier this year, appears to have also brought the Schumacher clan closer together
And an unexpected announcement from Michael's brother Ralf, who came out as gay earlier this year, appears to have also helped set the family back on track.
The 49-year-old ex racing star revealed he's in a relationship with French business manager Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne, following the breakdown of his marriage to wife Cora, with whom he shares a son, David.
While Ralf has struggled to accept Corinna's privacy over his brother's health - which has largely excluded him, his own honesty about his sexuality appears to have helped heal relations.
Here, MailOnline looks at how changing family dynamics appear to be allowing others into a previously impermeable inner circle...
MICHAEL'S FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE AT HIS DAUGHTER GINA'S WEDDING
Michael Schumacher's daughter Gina is said to have tied the knot with her boyfriend Iain Bethke
While no guests were allowed to take photos on their phones at Gina Schumacher's lavish wedding to her long-term boyfriend Iain Bethke this weekend, the fact their nuptials were held at the Schumacher's Spanish estate - with Michael reportedly present amongst wider family members for the first time in over a decade - suggests a huge shift in approach.
The newlyweds said 'I do' around 4pm on Saturday under an arch of flowers at Villa Yasmin, the property Corinna is understood to have bought in 2017 for £27million from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
The villa has a landing pad and Michael is regularly flown from to the villa in Port d'Andratx from the family home by Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
It is part of a 15,000 square metre estate which boasts two swimming pools, a helipad, a gym and a huge palm-tree-fringed garden.
The 27-year-old bride's big day could prove a much-needed balm on the wider Schumacher family relationships, which have become deeply fractured as Corinna has guarded her husband so closely since he was left with life-changing injuries on December 29th 2013.
Most recently, Gina wished her father a happy birthday in a heartfelt Instagram post, which included a throwback shot with her brother Mick and father Michael
The couple went public with their relationship in December 2017, when they stepped out at an awards ceremony together (pictured attending the Audi Generation Award 2017 at Hotel Bayerischer Hof on December 13, 2017 in Munich)
Michael Schumacher pictured with his wife of 29-years Corinna at the 2005 FIA Awards gala, 9 December 2005 in Monaco
The ceremony lasted around half an hour according to respected Majorcan daily Ultima Hora, with the newspaper reporting a banquet and party - including live music by a country music band - took place at the Port d'Andratx home owned by the Schumachers.
Michael's brother Ralf, who has previously commented publicly on Corinna Schumacher's unshakeable desire to keep her husband's condition out of the spotlight, was in attendance with his partner Etienne Bosquet-Cassagne.
The pair, who announced their romance earlier this year, also attended a pre-party at upmarket Mhares Sea Club south of the island capital Palma on Friday afternoon, suggesting they were very welcome wedding guests.
Gina is an equestrian who has reportedly made millions from owning and riding horses
BILD claims that the family did not want anyone taking unauthorised photos of the property's private rooms but also reported that it is 'very likely' that seven-time world champion Schumacher was present, almost 11 years on from his near-fatal freak skiing crash.
On Friday night, a bachelorette party was held for Gina, a successful equestrian, at upmarket Mhares Sea Club south of the island capital Palma before the wedding ceremony on Saturday at the Villa Yasmin.
Horse enthusiasts Gina and Iain went official with their relationship nearly seven years ago. They first stepped out at an awards ceremony in Munich in December 2017.
DANISH BEAUTY DATING MICK SCHUMACHER WHO'S NOW IN THE INNER CIRCLE
Mick Schumacher's long-term girlfriend Laila Hasanovic has reportedly been welcomed into the Schumacher family - and is the first girlfriend of the F1 star to have met his father
Cryptic: The Danish model (right) appeared to suggest that she could be heading down the aisle next year, after sharing a photo with a ring on her engagement finger (left)
Michael and Corinna's youngest son, Mick, could give the family another reason to draw closer again once more - with another family wedding rumoured to be in the pipeline for 2025.
Mick's long-term girlfriend, Danish lingerie model Laila Hasanovic, 24, has posted a photo showing off a diamond ring to her 337k followers – with the cryptic words: 'Then it's game over'.
F1 reserve driver Mick, 25 and Laila have been together for 18 months, and, according to German newspaper Bild, she is the only one of his girlfriends who has been allowed to visit Michael.
The Danish model has been spotted by the side of her future mother-in-law Corinna in recent weeks, suggesting she is now in the Schumacher inner circle
Schumacher lives and receives treatments in his £50million mansion in Gland, Switzerland
Bild says the family are 'smitten' with the model, who is regularly included in their family plans.
In July, Laila was seen with Mick's mother Corinna, 54, and sister Gina. The couple stopped by a horse-riding event on the family ranch in Switzerland - before the Formula 1 race in Silverstone.
The couple's son is a regular in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Alpine and a reserve driver in Formula One for Mercedes, competing there between 2021 and 2022.
Mick congratulated his sister Gina on her wedding via Instagram story on Sunday, writing: 'I'm so happy for you two.' He and Laila jet around the world together and like to show their followers on Instagram how happy they are with each other.
Last August, Mick told RTL with a smile: 'I'm really happy,' and 'doesn't want to hide' his love for Laila.
HOW MICHAEL'S BROTHER'S COMING OUT HAS HELPED HEAL FAMILY RIFT
Michael Schumacher, left, pictured alongside his brother Ralf in 2006
The Schumacher brothers shared a good relationship and remained close throughout their careers, but Ralf is said to have lost touch with the immediate family since his brother's fateful accident.
Last year, he revealed he was no longer in close contact with Michael and his wife Corinna but says he is always there to offer support.
'When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles,' Ralf shared with German magazine Bunte 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.'
The former F1 driver, 49, announced on social media last month that he is in a same-sex relationship with his French business manager Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne (pictured together)
Ralf, pictured with partner Etienne, wrote in a social media post: 'The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything'
Ralf Schumacher pictured together with his ex-wife Cora Schumacher. They were married for 14 years
However, Ralf's coming out earlier this year appears to have helped bring the long-standing distance between himself and his brother's wife to an end.
The 49-year-old was previously married to his former wife Cora Schumacher, a former Playboy model and ex-GQ cover star, for 14 years before the pair separated back in 2015.
In July, Ralf shared that he is in a same-sex relationship with his French business manager Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne - and his coming out, coupled with Gina Schumacher's wedding this weekend appears to have brought the family closer together.
But after Ralf (pictured with his partner) came out as gay, his ex-wife Cora Schumacher claimed she 'feels used' and 'wasted her best years' after they spent 14 years married before splitting in 2015
German actress Carmen Geiss, a close friend of the couple, revealed that Ralf had already been in a relationship for two years with Etienne - a Frenchman who was working as Ralf's business manager when they fell in love.
'They met in Monaco. Ralf lives in Salzburg with his son, Etienne lives in Nice. But the two are together quite often,' Geiss said, adding the pair are 'sensationally happy' and have 'never had an argument or dispute'.
Ralf's son, racing driver David, 22, came out in full support of his father's decision to reveal his same sex relationship, writing: 'I'm very happy that you've finally found someone with whom you can really tell that you feel comfortable and safe.
Former F1 racer Ralf Schumacher with his son David Schumacher in 2022 in Germany
'It doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman. I'm 100% behind you, Dad, and I wish you all the best! Congratulations!'
The former F1 driver has previously reflected on how much he misses the Michael he knew, admitting: '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.'
Cora and Bousquet-Cassagne (right) are believed to have first met in St Tropez in April 2023
The F1 superstar was a keen skier - but his 2013 accident saw his life changed forever
Ralf said: 'There may be an age gap of seven years, but he was always by my side. We raced together, we practised overtaking manoeuvres and everything that matters in motorsports. I had the honour to learn from the best.'
Summing up Michael's dire predicament, Ralf added: 'Fortunately, advanced medical science provides many opportunities. However, nothing is like it used to be.
'Life is unfair at times. That day held a lot of bad luck. This fate has changed our family.'
But his accomplishments in the sport were dwarfed by the success of his older brother Michael, who was also a dab hand when it came to building a racing team around him and interacting with the media.
Ralf by contrast often shied away from the press and struggled to integrate as effectively with his team, and as a result never came close to achieving the stardom enjoyed by Michael.
After an impressive junior career which saw him finish as a runner up in several racing championships, Ralf won the Formula Nippon racing series in Japan in 1995 and punched his ticket to the F1 paddock for the 1997 season.
He competed for 11 years at the pinnacle of the sport, racing for three teams and winning six Grands Prix before leaving the F1 grid for the German touring car championship DTM at the end of 2007.
Ralf ultimately retired from motorsport alongside Michael at the end of 2012, and has since gone on to build a successful post-racing career as an entrepreneur and a pundit in Germany.
