What happened to Michael Schumacher as F1 legend 'attends daughter's wedding'

Michael Schumacher is a name that transcends the world of Formula 1. The sport, which enjoys immense popularity today, was relatively niche during the German driver's heyday.

Yet, Schumacher became a household name, a seven-time F1 champion who achieved most of his success with Ferrari. His partnership with the team remains one of the most iconic in the history of the sport.

When news of his life-altering skiing accident broke in December 2013, it sparked a massive outpouring of emotion. Since then, there has been a constant demand for updates on his condition and wellbeing.

However, concrete information has been scarce. Despite his public persona due to his racing career, Schumacher was a private individual, and his fiercely protective wife Corinna has strived to maintain this privacy since the accident.

What happened to Schumacher?

Medical reports reveal that Schumacher suffered a traumatic brain injury in December 2013 when he fell while skiing off-piste in the French Alps and hit his head on a rock. He was airlifted to hospital and placed in a medically induced coma, from which he emerged a few months later, reports the Mirror.

Although he survived, it was clear that he would never be the same again. In September 2014, he was allowed to return to his family home near Lake Geneva, where he has since been cared for by Corinna and a team of medical staff.

Only a select few trusted individuals are permitted to see him and understand the extent of his injuries.

Michael Schumacher's close-knit circle has occasionally left out even family members, such as his brother Ralf, an ex-F1 driver and now a pundit for Sky Germany, who last year revealed he feels Michael’s family “go their own way”. There are indications, though, that Corinna might be becoming more open.

Ralf, alongside his partner Etienne, was present at the wedding of Michael’s daughter, Gina-Maria. The 27 year old married Iain Bethke in a grand celebration at their £27million villa in Majorca last Saturday.

While it remains unconfirmed if Michael, who is still recovering from his skiing accident, witnessed his daughter’s matrimony, there are reports that he attended the wedding - marking the first time he has been seen in public in 11 years. Though he has been flown from the family home to their Majorcan villa where the wedding was held before before, this time it was different as he appeared in front of all the other invitees at the wedding. However, some figures from Schumacher's past were absent, such as his long-time manager Willi Weber, who remarked that he wasn't invited.

Despite being "one of my best friends" during Schumacher’s racing career, Weber finds himself outside the private group privy to details about Michael’s health.

'He survived - but with consequences'

One of the few former F1 colleagues permitted to visit him is his ex-Ferrari team boss, Jean Todt. The Frenchman and past president of the FIA has remained largely silent out of respect for Michael and Corinna, but disclosed in a Bild interview: "I've spent a lot of time with Corinna since Michael had his serious skiing accident on December 29, 2013. She is a great woman and runs the family. She hadn't expected that. It happened suddenly and she had no choice. But she does it very well. I trust her, she trusts me. Thanks to the work of his doctors and the cooperation of Corinna, who wanted him to survive, he survived - but with consequences."

While the full extent of 'consequences' remains mostly private, Corinna has hinted at changes in her husband, saying he is "different" post-accident.

Their son Mick, who has raced in F1 like his father and joined Mercedes as a reserve, has indicated that Michael’s condition prevents communication. In 2019, reports emerged about Schumacher undergoing stem cell treatment to potentially rejuvenate his nervous system, with Le Parisien noting his admission for stem cell transfusions and an unnamed nurse suggesting signs of improvement.

Elisabetta Gregoraci, the ex-wife of former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore, has revealed that Michael Schumacher has been spending more time at the family's Majorcan villa recently. She disclosed: "Michael doesn't speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him and I know who they are. They moved to Spain and his wife has set up a hospital in that house."

What his family have said

In 2021, Schumacher's wife Corinna participated in a Netflix documentary called 'Schumacher', where she maintained privacy over certain aspects but shared her personal journey, stating: "I miss Michael every day. But it's not just me who misses him. It's the children, the family, his father, everyone around him. Everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here - different, but here. He still shows me how strong he is every day.

"We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he's comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond. And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will.

"We're trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives. It's very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael."

Perhaps most poignant of all was Mick Schumacher's heartfelt admission about his regret over his father's inability to closely follow his motorsport career. After ascending to the heights of Formula 1, he reflected: "Since the accident, of course, these experiences, these moments that I believe many people have with their parents, are no longer present or to a lesser extent. And in my view, that is a little unfair."

"I think me and dad, we would understand each other in a different way now. Simply because we speak a similar language - the language of motorsport - and that we would have a lot more to talk about. And that is where my head is most of the time. Thinking that would be so cool... I would give up everything just for that."

Whether Michael Schumacher will make a public appearance again is uncertain. However, his attendance at his daughter's nuptials could indicate that his wife Corinna may be more open to public life.

Lately, further family joy seems possible, as Mick's partner, Laila Hasanovic, has teased social media followers with a photo flaunting a sparkling engagement ring, hinting at another celebration where the racing legend might be present.