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      Michael Schumacher’s brother gives heartbreaking update on F1 legend saying ‘nothing’s like it used to be’

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      MICHAEL Schumacher’s brother Ralf has said that the F1 legend may never completely recover from his horrific ski crash in 2013.He said that “nothing is like it used to be” since the driving legend’s crash despite advanced medical treatment.
      Michael Schumacher (right) having a laugh with Ralf (left) at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2003Credit: Reuters
      Ralf, 48, has spoken out about his brother’s conditionCredit: Getty
      Michael Schumacher with his wife Corinna on a piste in 2003Credit: Alamy
      Schumacher is largely considered to be the best driver in Formula One historyCredit: AFP
      The racing icon has not been seen in public since his accident in the French Alps in 2013, and very little is known about his condition.
      December 29 will mark ten years since Schumacher, largely considered to be the best driver in Formula One history, suffered the crash that left him in a coma for 250 days.
      His family have kept the specifics of his recovery and condition largely private and only immediate family, and close friends know any details.
      Ralf previously revealed that even he has not been allowed much contact with his brother’s family.
      READ MORE ON SCHUMACHER
      In an interview with German magazine Bunte he maintained that he still loved them, and would always be there for them should they ever need him.
      And now just ahead of the ten year anniversary Ralf, 48, has admitted: “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.”
      He told German outlet Bild: “Michael wasn’t only my brother.
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      “When we were kids, he was also my coach and mentor. He taught me literally everything about kart racing.
      “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.”
      Ralf, who also raced and won six F1 Grand Prix, said: “He passed on all the different things he had already internalised. I had the honour to learn from the best.”
      And he mulled over the effect of his brother’s crash on Schumacher’s kids.
       “It has been a significant experience for me but, of course, even more so for his children.
      “Life is unfair at times. That day held a lot of bad luck. This fate has changed our family.”
      Ralf was married to former model and TV presenter Cora Schumacher for 14 years but they split in February 2015.
      His son David, 22, competes in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) racing series.
      Schumacher’s son Mick, 24, also followed his father’s footsteps onto the race track.
      Ralf previously 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.”
      The 48-year-old revealed that he is hardly in contact with his brother’s family just days after the Schumacher family lawyer revealed why the racing legend never released a report on his health post accident.
      Speaking to the German news outlet LTO, their lawyer explained that an official report was never released to the public to protect private matters.
      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’.
      “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.”
      Their family lawyer maintains that his approach to the situation has strengthened the privacy protection of the Formula One legend and his family.
      He stated that he understands many Schumacher fans want to know how the star is doing, but he believes that they should be able to respect the family’s privacy.
      A Formula One journalist, Roger Benoit, recently told Swiss newspaper Blick that Schumacher was “a case without hope.”
      Formula One legend and friend of Schumacher, Johnny Herbert, later called the comment “horrible”, but did reveal that Schumacher was “not close” to his former self following his ski crash.
      Herbert also said: “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.”
      He also reflected on how the star’s crash had affected Ralf.
      “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.”
      He later described Schumacher’s wife Corinna as “very strong” despite the “huge void” left by his crash.
      He said: “She [Corinna] has said they are trying to carry on as a family as Michael would have wanted.
      “They are getting on with their lives but private does mean private.” 
      And Jean Todt, Schumacher’s close friend and former boss, told French paper L’Equipe: “He’s just not the Michael he used to be.”
      He said: “He’s different and he’s wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him.
      “His life is different now, and I am privileged to share moments with him.
      “Unfortunately, fate struck him ten years ago.
      “He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula 1.”
      The racing star’s ex-manager says he has no “hope” of seeing the F1 legend again.
      Willi Weber revealed that he had received no good news after allegedly being shut out of the racing star’s life for the last 10 years.
      Read more on The Sun
      He told the Cologne Express: “When I think of Michael now, unfortunately I don’t have anymore hope that I will see him again.
      “No positive news after ten years.”
      The Schumachers with kids Gina-Maria and MickCredit: Netflix
      Mick Schumacher, 24, followed his father onto the race trackCredit: PA
      Schumacher skiing in 2005Credit: AFP
      Michael Schumacher with close friend and former boss Jean TodtCredit: AFP
      Schumacher’s long-term manager Willi Weber, who does not believe he will ever see him againCredit: Alamy More

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      Schumacher’s ‘Italian mum’ says ‘world collapsed’ after accident & reveals F1 legend’s favourite meal at her restaurant

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      MICHAEL Schumacher’s “Italian mum” has said her world collapsed after the F1 legend’s tragic skiing accident – and hopes to meet him again.Speaking about her special bond with the racing star, chef Rossella Giannini praised him and revealed his favourite meal at her restaurant.
      Michael Schumacher would visit his Italian mum’s’ restaurant after race practise every dayCredit: Getty
      Chef Rossella said to this day she remembers when Schumacher first stepped inside her restaurantCredit: Getty
      Rossella Giannini owns and runs the Montana restaurant in Fiorano Modense, which is located just a two-minute drive away from Ferrari’s factory. 
      This was the automobile factory that delivered machinery to Schumacher which helped him to achieve five of his seven championships.
      The F1 legend would spent most of his time practising at the Fiorano racing circuit perfecting his moves and after wrapping up his duties, Schumacher would visit chef Rossella’s restaurant almost every day.
      The chef revealed they both eventually built a beautiful relationship, and to this day she remembers when Schumacher first stepped inside her restaurant – February 14, 1996.
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      Rossella said his all-time favourite at her eatery was “Tagliatelle Al Ragu” – a classic bolognese dish prepared with veil.
      She also said the Ferrari racer, in exceptional cases, liked to order garlic and oil spaghetti.
      However, after hearing the horror news of Schumacher’s skiing accident, Rossella said her “world collapsed” as she learnt about the severity of his injuries.
      She told Bild: “I was on vacation at the time of his accident and heard it on the news.
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      “When it became clear how bad the extent of it was, my world collapsed.
      “I can hardly believe that the accident happened ten years ago. In the meantime, I was able to make peace with the situation.
      “I no longer suffer, but remember the beautiful moments.”
      While Rossella said she no longers “bothers” the F1 racer, she hopes one day he will again walk in through the door of her resturaunt and she would make him his favourite dish again.
      “I don’t want to be a bother. The situation is difficult enough for the relatives.
      “Every now and then I talk to people from Ferrari and ask, but I don’t want to impose myself.
      “Every day I look at the front door and hope that he will walk through again and that I will make him tagliatelle al ragu.”
      It comes after Michael Schumacher’s pal has said his wife is carrying on the way he would have wanted despite the “huge void” left by his horror ski crash.
      Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, former F1 driver and Schumacher’s teammate Johnny Herbert revealed how the family are coping almost ten years on.
      Despite the “huge void” left by the 2013 horror crash, Herbert described Schumacher’s wife Corinna as “very strong”.
      He said: “She [Corinna] has said they are trying to carry on as a family as Michael would have wanted.
      “They are getting on with their lives but private does mean private.”    
      Seven-time world champion Schumacher, 54, suffered catastrophic injuries in the devastating accident while on a skiing holiday.
      Read more on The Sun
      December 29 will mark ten years since the racing icon, largely considered to be the best driver in Formula One history, suffered the crash that left him in a coma for over 200 days.
      Corinna, has protected the privacy of her husband to such an extent that only their immediate family, and closest of friends know any details.
      Rossella Giannini owns and runs the Montana restaurant in Fiorano Modense, which is located just a two-minute’s drive away from Ferrari’s factoryCredit: Getty
      Schumacher suffered catastrophic injuries in the devastating accident while on a skiing holidayCredit: AFP More

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      Max Verstappen snubbed from hiring Mercedes AMG GT with top speed of 195mph on holiday — as he’s ‘too young’

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      FORMULA One world champion Max Verstappen was snubbed when he tried to hire a high-performance car on holiday — as he was too young.The 26-year-old Dutch ace — used to racing at well over 200mph — was denied access to the Mercedes, which has a top speed of 195mph.
      Formula One ace Max Verstappen was unable to hire a Mercedes from car rental firm Sixt when he went on holidayCredit: Splash News
      Staff said that allowing Verstappento take the AMG GT motor would have breached its insurance policyCredit: Mercedes
      Staff at car rental firm Sixt said that allowing Verstappen — who won his first grand prix aged 18 — to take the AMG GT motor would have breached its insurance policy as he is under 30.
      The Red Bull racer, who this season won his third consecutive F1 world championship, instead had to make do with a less powerful BMW 5 Series.
      He flew to the Algarve in Portugal with family and friends on three private jets last Monday.
      The party had rented around 20 cars from Sixt at Faro Airport and hired the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve racing circuit for two days before Verstappen flew on to Brazil.
      READ MORE ON F1
      A source said: “Max and the group went to Portugal for a fun racing trip and had booked the cars they wanted.
      “When they got to the airport, Max was shocked when he was told he wasn’t allowed to drive the Mercedes he wanted.
      “He’s a seasoned F1 driver who’s used to handling powerful cars, so it’s quite astonishing to think he wasn’t allowed to get behind the wheel of this one — but those are the rules, so he abided by them.”
      Verstappen, who has hit a top speed of 213mph in his RB19 F1 car, had picked out the Mercedes AMG GT, which can do up to 195.7mph.
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      The BMW he was eventually given can cruise at up to 155.3mph.
      His manager Raymond Vermeulen ended up driving the Mercedes.
      Belgium-born Verstappen has won 54 races and made the podium 98 times in his F1 career.
      He has raced for Red Bull since 2016 and is said to have earned £43million this year alone.
      He began karting aged four and was competing in championships at seven. Dad Jos, 51, was also an F1 driver.
      Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan has said of Verstappen: “I believe he will turn out to be the greatest driver of all time.”
      A Sixt spokesman said: “The employees of our franchise partner in Portugal have only followed the rules that arise for insurance reasons.
      “In order to find a customer-friendly solution on site, Mr Verstappen was provided with another premium vehicle.
      “However, there can be special circumstances that justify a deviation from rules. This is such a case.
      “We apologise to Mr Verstappen. He can rent the car he wants from us at any time.
      “There is of course no doubt at all about his driving skills and his experience with powerful cars.”
      In August, Verstappen appeared to break the speed limit while driving a £2.3million Aston Martin Valkyrie supercar through a tunnel in France.
      Read more on The Sun
      A video showed him to seemingly be at 73mph on a 55mph road.
      His representative was asked to comment.
      Verstappen has hit a top speed of 213mph in his RB19 F1 carCredit: Getty More

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      Don Schumacher dead at 79: NHRA drag racer and team owner dies after ‘illness-related complications’

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      MOTORSPORTS legend Don Schumacher has died at 79 following a battle with lung cancer.His racing team, NHRA, announced his death on Thursday citing illness related complications.
      Don Schumacher has died at the age of 79Credit: Getty
      Schumacher’s cars won 19 NHRA world championshipsCredit: Getty
      Schumacher was a successful drag racer and was part of the founding of the Funny Car class. He won around 70 percent of the 560 races he entered.
      His legend grew exponentially when he became a car owner. His team collected 19 NHRA world championships and 362 Wally trophies.
      He built one of the most impressive resumes in racing history, but took time off in the 1970s to develop his family’s electric company into a successful global business.
      He returned to racing in 1998 as a car owner with his son Tony as his primary driver. Tony won 86 events for his father.

      Outside of his success on the race track, he also made the sport much safer.
      Among his safety breakthroughs were a roof-mounted escape hatch which made it easier for drivers to escape a fire.
      He also created a fire-suppression system that allowed drivers to extinguish a fire without removing their hand from the steering wheel.
      Schumacher had a battle with cancer in 2015, but was able to return to the track which thrilled drivers.
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      “This is the best therapy,” Antron Brown, one of Schumacher’s’ drivers said.
      “You can see the smile on his face and the joy in his heart for being part of this sport of NHRA drag racing.”
      Schumacher shared how much drag racing meant to him after returning from his first cancer battle.
      “I love what I do, and I will continue to do what I do,” Schumacher said after his return.
      “I’m a businessman, and that’s what I do. I love racing. I love the sport of NHRA. I love my businesses. I love my family. I love what I do in life.”
      NHRA announcer Alan Reinhart shared how much of a legend Schumacher was on Twitter.
      “Even though he has scaled back his personal involvement the last few years, this is a tremendous blow,” Reinhart wrote.
      “His influence will be felt for generations to come. And the company he built will continue to supply the sport.”
      More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun online. The-Sun.com is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @TheUSSun.
      Schumacher’s cars won 362 Wally trophiesCredit: Getty More

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      Michael Schumacher update as ‘strong’ wife Corinna has his family ‘carrying on the way he would have wanted’

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      MICHAEL Schumacher’s pal has said his wife is carrying on the way he would have wanted despite the “huge void” left by his horror ski crash.The racing icon has not been seen in public since his accident in the French Alps in 2013, and very little is known about his condition.
      Michael Schumacher with Johnny Herbert, former F1 driver and teammate, 1995Credit: Getty
      Michael Schumacher poses with his wife Corinna on a piste in 2003Credit: Alamy
      Mick Schumacher, 24, followed his father onto the race trackCredit: PA
      Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, former F1 driver and Schumacher’s teammate Johnny Herbert revealed how the family are coping almost ten years on.
      Despite the “huge void” left by the 2013 horror crash, Herbert described Schumacher’s wife Corinna as “very strong”.
      He said: “She [Corinna] has said they are trying to carry on as a family as Michael would have wanted.
      “They are getting on with their lives but private does mean private.”      
      READ MORE ON SCHUMACHER
      Seven-time world champion Schumacher, 54, suffered catastrophic injuries in the devastating accident while on a skiing holiday.
      December 29 will mark ten years since the racing icon, largely considered to be the best driver in Formula One history, suffered the crash that left him in a coma for over 200 days.
      Corinna, has protected the privacy of her husband to such an extent that only their immediate family, and closest of friends know any details.
      Mick, 24, has followed his father’s footsteps onto the F1 track.
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      Herbert revealed that Corinna has been a “huge support” for him as he pursues racing.
      But he added that sadly, Mick has never been able to talk to his dad for advice about the profession.
      “Mick has said he could always talk to Michael about racing before the accident,” Herbert said.
      “Michael would have been a big help and that father son relationship would have been a very beneficial thing for Mick.
      “But Mick never had that unfortunately. He just had that relationship up until the skiing accident.”
      Herbert remembered the accident as a huge shock for everyone close to the Schumacher family.
      He and his wife were friends with the couple in the 1990s and he described Schumacher as a dedicated and innovative athlete in the field.
      “Michael Schumacher was a fitness fanatic… He always reminded me a lot of Bruce Lee when he was doing all his acting.
      “That was something quite new. He knew he had to be fit to perform as he did in those sprint performances and his fitness levels gave him that advantage.
      “He changed the physical and mental side of how drivers prepare. He was always aware of the science that was advancing with fitness.”
      Herbert described his friend fondly as determined and driven, and said “it would be lovely just to have him back”.
      It comes as Formula One’s boss said he wouldn’t wish Schumacher’s condition on his “worst enemy”.
      F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali used to work with Schumacher, now 54, at Ferrari and gave a heartbreaking update.
      “It seems like yesterday his accident in Meribel, they are episodes that change your life,” he told La Gazetta dello Sport.
      “Out of respect for him and his family we must stay close to him, this difficult situation remains.
      “What is between me and the family remains private, but living like this for ten years is something you would never wish even on your worst enemy.”
      And the racing star’s ex-manager says he has no “hope” of seeing the F1 legend again.
      Willi Weber revealed that he had received no good news after allegedly being shut out of the racing star’s life for the last 10 years.
      Read more on The Sun
      He told the Cologne Express: “When I think of Michael now, unfortunately I don’t have anymore hope that I will see him again.
      “No positive news after ten years.”
      Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali, pictured right during his time at Ferrari, said he wouldn’t wish the Schumacher’s condition on his worst enemyCredit: Getty
      Michael Schumacher’s long-term manager Willi Weber does not believe he will ever see him againCredit: Alamy More

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      Max Verstappen snubbed for Dutch Sports Personality of the Year despite record-breaking F1 season

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN missed out on winning Dutch Sports Personality of the Year despite landing the Formula One championship in a record-breaking season.The Red Bull superstar won 19 out of 22 races to win the championship for a third successive year.
      Max Verstappen’s F1 championship victory was not enough to win the Dutch Personality of the Year awardCredit: PA
      Cycling Mathieu van der Poel won the award for a second timeCredit: AFP
      He won ten races in a row from May to September – a feat unmatched by any driver in F1 history.
      Verstappen, 26, also set a record points total of 575.
      But the world champion has been overlooked by the Dutch public, who voted cyclist Mathieu van der Poel as their Sports Personality of the Year.
      The 28-year-old had an astonishing season with victories in prestigious one-day races including Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo.
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      Van der Poel topped off his year by winning the Road World Championships in Glasgow, beating two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar.
      He even crashed inside the final 20 kilometres and damaged his shoe before clinging on for victory.
      The Dutchman also had to stop mid-race for a poo in a stranger’s house.
      Van der Poel began his year by winning the Cylco-cross World Championship for a fifth time after defeating long-term rival Wout van Aert, who also finished second behind the Dutchman in Glasgow.
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      Verstappen has been named Dutch Sports Personality the previous two years following his F1 championship wins.
      Van der Poel has now equalled his haul after also picking up the award in 2019 following his incredible win in the Amstel Gold Race – Holland’s biggest cycling race.
      Fans were delighted to see Van der Poel claim the award with one saying: “Max had the greatest ever season in F1 history and yet MvdP was the best Dutch athlete this year. Speaks volumes. Elite riding.”
      Another added: “No brainer!”
      While a third joked: “A man who drives a machine versus a man who is a machine. No contest!” More

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      Michael Schumacher health update as F1 chief says he ‘wouldn’t wish’ star’s horror ski injuries on his ‘worst enemy’

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      FORMULA 1’s boss has revealed he wouldn’t wish Michael Schumacher’s condition on his “worst enemy” as his situation remains “difficult”.The seven-time world champion’s health is kept under lock and key by his family and few people have had access to the Ferrari legend, since his skiing accident in the French Alps nearly 10 years ago.
      Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali, pictured right during his time at Ferrari, revealed more updates on Michael Schumacher’s current health stateCredit: Getty
      The ex-Ferrari team manager said he wouldn’t wish Schuey’s situation on his ‘worst enemy’Credit: Getty
      December 29 will mark a decade since Michael’s devastating ski accident in the French Alps, which left him in a coma for more than 200 daysCredit: Reuters
      F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali used to work with Schumacher, now 54, at Ferrari and gave a heartbreaking update.
      “It seems like yesterday his accident in Meribel, they are episodes that change your life,” he told La Gazetta dello Sport.
      “Out of respect for him and his family we must stay close to him, this difficult situation remains.
      “What is between me and the family remains private, but living like this for ten years is something you would never wish even on your worst enemy.”
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      Domenicali’s update came shortly after Schuey’s racing pal Timo Glock admitted the F1 legend’s injuries are “still hard to accept” 10 years on from his devastating accident.
      “It doesn’t matter about the tenth anniversary,” he told MegaDice.com.
      “Every year when that date comes up everyone gets reminded and thinks about it and what would be if things had gone differently a more positive way.
      “That is life but it is hard to accept because he is such a legend for the sport and for sure, for the family, it is not an easy time.”
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      He added: “I have a lot of respect for the family and I am not a fan of speculating if you don’t know what is going on in the background.
      “How they deal with it is something we can only respect and accept it how it is.”
      Timo revealed is still in “very good contact” with the Schumacher family and the legend’s son, Mick.
      “I met him a lot of times during the season at Grand Prix weekends discussing his future and he was asking me what I would recommend,” he said.
      “I would never be the person to ask anything personal about his father.”
      Timo Glock had previously said Schumacher’s health condition must be kept private.
      His update comes after Schuey’s ex-manager said he has no “hope” of seeing the F1 legend again.
      Willi Weber revealed that he had received “no positive news” after allegedly being shut out of the racing star’s life for the last 10 years.
      The long-term manager of the seven-time F1 champion, Weber, 81, has now opened up about how never believes he will see his former protégé again.
      He told the Cologne Express: “When I think of Michael now, unfortunately I don’t have anymore hope that I will see him again.
      “No positive news after ten years.”
      He also recalled how gutted he felt about not being able to see Schumacher immediately after the accident.
      “Of course, I regret that very much and blame myself. I should have visited Michael in the hospital. I mourned like a dog after his accident.”
      After three or four years of allegedly being shut out of Schumacher’s life, Weber said: “For me it was clear: ‘Well, now it’s over. This crap needs to get out of my head'”.
      Back in 2017, Weber extraordinarily accused the racing legend’s family of not being honest to the public about the Schumacher’s condition.
       “I find it very unfortunate that Michael’s fans do not know about his health.
      “Why are they not being told the truth?”
      And in July last year, Weber once again made headlines by demanding that the Schumacher family come out with the truth about his health.
      He said he was still “angry” that he had not been kept informed once since the F1 legend’s ski accident.
      He told Italian sports publication Gazetta dello Sport: “I tried hundreds of times to contact Corinna and she didn’t answer.
      “I called Jean Todt to ask him if I should go to the hospital and he told me to wait – it’s too early.
      “They kept me out, telling me it’s too early, well now it’s too late. It’s been nine years. Maybe they should just say it the way it is.”
      Read more on The Sun
      Weber has been credited with discovering Schumacher in 1989 when he signed him up to his F3 team.
      He has previously said that the racing great was “like a son to me”.
      The Formula One legend’s health condition is been kept under lock and key by his family, including his wife Corinna, picturedCredit: Alamy More

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      Inside F1 stars’ Secret Santa as Max Verstappen gets Valtteri Bottas very cheeky gift

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      FORMULA 1 stars got into the festive spirit by taking part in Secret Santa with their fellow drivers.And Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas received a particularly cracking gift from Max Verstappen.
      Valtteri Bottas checks out his presentCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      The Finn, 34, received an art book featuring snaps of his own backsideCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Each driver was randomly assigned one of their competitors to buy a gift for.
      When reigning world champion Verstappen got Bottas, he decided to be creative.
      Bottas, 34, raised $150,000 (£118k) with his “Bottass 2024″ calendar last month, in which he bared his backside in each picture.
      For his gift to the Finn, Verstappen made a book entitled ” A simply lovely look at butts in art”.
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      The Dutchman wrote “have a cracking Christmas” on the inside cover, with each page featuring Bottas’ naked rear edited onto existing classic art works.
      Bottas giggled as he flicked through the pages, admitting that it was “really creative”.
      He then guessed that the calendar was from Verstappen at the attempt.
      The world champion himself received a mini retro arcade game from Carlos Sainz.
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      Max Verstappen opens up his retro arcade gameCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Zhou Guanyu received a second copy of Bottas’ calendarCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      While Alfa Romeo ace Zhou Guanyu received a copy of his team-mate’s calendar from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc…. only to reveal that he’d already got one.
      Fernando Alonso was bought a captain’s hat from Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll, after buying a boat in Monaco over the summer.
      While Stroll was gifted a beanie hat from Yuki Tsunoda in order to combat the cold Canadian winter.
      The Japanese star, 23, gratefully opened a Chinese cookbook and apron from Zhou – gushing over his favourite dishes and saying he’d definitely give making them a go.
      Leclerc, who was given Bottas’ calendar back by Zhou, actually really loved his own present from Alonso.
      The veteran Spaniard, 42, bought him a padel racquet – with Leclerc keen to give him a game.
      Nico Hulkenberg opted to poke fun at Pierre Gasly’s “Tripod” nickname… by buying the Frenchman one.
      The German, 36, was then gifted a mug with a yawning emoji on it from Esteban Ocon, sharing that the duo often to send that emoji to each other on WhatsApp.
      Fernando Alonso dons his new captain’s hatCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Lance Stroll was also bought some new headwearCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Yuki Tsunoda checks out his Chinese apronCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Charles Leclerc loved his new padel racquetCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Pierre Gasly is nicknamed ‘Tripod’ on the gridCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Nico Hulkenberg loves a yawning emojiCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Ocon, 27, received a trio of Spiderman-themed presents from George Russell – getting a travel pillow, wash bag and a “very nice” drinks bottle.
      Russell himself got a bouncy toy from Hulkenberg, joking he liked it enough to keep it for at least a “couple of hours” before chucking it away.
      Kevin Magnussen welcomed his second baby daughter with wife Louise, named Agnes, to the world earlier this year.
      Logan Sargeant fittingly bought him a T-shirt for his little girl, with the slogan “Shhh… I’m watching racing with daddy” written on it.
      He then added a Lonely Planet guide to great US road trips.
      Lando Norris bought American Sargeant a Miami Heat-themed mini basketball hoop.
      The McLaren star then received a tiny golf-themed gift from Pierre Gasly, but insisted “I like it!”
      Esteban Ocon opened a trio of Spiderman-themed giftsCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      George Russell pledged to keep his gift for at least ‘two hours’Credit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Kevin Magnussen received a T-shirt for his baby daughterCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Logan Sargeant can shoot hoops into his mini basketCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Lando Norris was given a tiny gift by GaslyCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Alex Albon was bought six personalised golf balls by Oscar Piastri, calling it the “best gift I’ve ever received in my life”.
      While Aussie Piastri received a Koala T-shirt and some chocolate from Daniel Ricciardo, the man he replaced at McLaren.
      Ricciardo himself was gifted some limited edition tequila from Mexican Sergio Perez.
      The Red Bull ace welcomed a baby daughter in September, and was bought a Williams teddy bear and T-shirt by Albon, who also got him some green trainers.
      Sainz was bought a pair of pink Budgy Smugglers with chillies on them, immediately guessing them to be from Bottas.
      He was also given a series of spicy sauces.
      Read more on The Sun
      Absent from the festivities was Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton.
      The seven-time world champion curiously did not feature in the video.
      Alex Albon loved his personalised golf ballsCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Oscar Piastri received an Aussie-themed T-shirtCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Daniel Ricciardi has some limited edition Mexican tequila stored awayCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Sergio Perez also got some new baby gear for his new-born daughterCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1
      Carlos Sainz received a spicy gift from BottasCredit: YouTube / @FORMULA 1 More