MICHAEL Schumacher’s tragic health battle has had a severe impact on his brother Ralf, a close friend of the F1 legend has revealed.
Former Formula One driver Johnny Herbert has explained that Michael’s younger brother has changed a lot since the star’s horror ski crash.
The 2013 accident sent shockwaves through the motorsports world at the time as the seven-time world champion was placed in a medically-induced coma in hospital.
Little is known about Michael’s condition ever since as his family maintains strict privacy.
Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, ex-Sky Sports Johnny Herbert, who used to be the German’s teammate, described how the star’s condition has affected his brother in particular.
He said: “When Ralf Schumacher was with Sky Germany we often met.
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“Ralf has had to do a lot of things for and with the family given what happened to Michael.
“He has matured. He is very different now to the person he was as a driver.
“He is a good human being now. He has changed a lot having had to cope with the ongoing situation with his brother.”
Herbert branded “horrible” a comment made by journalist Roger Benoit that Schumacher is a “case without hope.”
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He added: “There’s never any news. What we do know is we never hear any positive news.
“That’s the horrible thought that he is still not able to be close to the Michael that we all remember. And that is very sad.”
The former F1 driver also disagreed with Benoit’s statement that the stricken legend should be stripped of the controversial F1 title.”
Speaking about his pal, Herbert said he would have made a good pundit.
He said: “He would have been outspoken. He was always very aware of what you can and can’t do.
“His character was always in your face, telling you directly if you had done something to him on the track.
“Remember Spa with David Coulthard. He would have been very good.”
The F1 legend has not been seen or heard since his accident in the French Alps in 2013 where he suffered catastrophic injuries.
He has been undergoing rehabilitation at his home in a lakeside mansion in Lausanne, Switzerland ever since.
Even Schumacher’s close friends and family are believed to have been left in the dark about his condition.
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In 2021 his wife, Corinna, shared a rare update during his Netflix documentary.
She revealed that Schumacher is “different, but here”.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
