FANS of German F1 legend Michael Schumacher will be offered a rare glimpse at his life ten years on from his devastating ski accident.
Schumacher, 54, has not appeared publicly nor have details of his health condition been revealed since 2013, when a blow to the head left him in a medically-induced coma for 250 days.
But a new five-part documentary by German broadcaster ARD may shed some light on what happened all those years ago and how the former Ferrari and Benetton star is now faring.
The documentary, to be aired on December 28, will explore Schumacher’s early years including his rise to prominence, from a go-karting background to one of the best drivers in Formula One history.
It will mark the 10-year anniversary of his horrific skiing accident, which occurred in the French Alps on December 29, 2013.
The new series will follow a 2021 documentary produced by Netflix in which Schumacher’s wife Corinna remained tight-lipped about her husband’s condition, saying only that he was “different” post-crash.
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Corinna is known to have protected her husband’s privacy to such an extent that only their immediate family and the closest of their friends know any details about how he is doing.
Recently, in an interview with German magazine Bunte, Schumacher’s brother Ralf shared he now had little to do with the F1 star’s immediate family, including his wife and kids.
Ralf 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.”
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He made clear he still loved his brother’s family and said of his accident: “Unfortunately, sometimes life isn’t fair.
“We have to accept it.”
Meanwhile, Schumacher’s pal, former F1 driver Timo Glock, claimed to have kept in contact with the seven-time world champion.
He told LuckyBlock: “I’ve also known other members of his family for a very long time, but I try not to impose on their privacy.
“I respect their right to be private, and I don’t discuss Michael’s condition with them.”
News of the upcoming documentary came mere days after the Schumachers’ family lawyer, Felix Damm, explained why a “final report” on the racing legend’s health post-accident was never made public.
Speaking to German news outlet LTO, he said: “Of course, we discussed a lot about how this is possible. So we also considered whether a final report about Michael’s health could be the right way to do this.
“But that wouldn’t have been the end of it and there would have had to be constantly updated ‘water level reports’. Because as those affected, it is not up to you to put an end to the media.
“They could pick up on such a report again and again and ask, ‘And what does it look like now?’ one, two, three months or years after the message.
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“And if we then wanted to take action against this reporting, we would have to deal with the argument of voluntary self-disclosure.”
He said he understood fans’ interest in Schumacher’s health but believed they should be able to respect his family’s privacy.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
