Update on Michael Schumacher from his close F1 friend Jean Todt: “His life is different now”

For free, real-time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our breaking news emails

Sign up for our free breaking news emails

Sign up for our free breaking news emails

Former Ferrari boss Jean Todt revealed that Michael Schumacher is “no longer the man he once was” – more than ten years since the F1 icon was last seen in public.

Schumacher, 55, suffered a serious head injury in a skiing accident in Meribel, France, in December 2013.

The seven-time F1 world champion's health has been kept secret in recent years and his wife Corinna insisted on protecting his privacy as he continued to recover.

Todt, who worked with Schumacher during his historic five consecutive titles from 2000 to 2004, was the most regular source of updates on the German and admitted he had watched F1 races with Schumacher in the past and had spoken to the Frenchman last year talk about the Ferrari legend again.

“Michael is here, so I don’t miss him,” Todt told L’Equipe in 2023.

“(But he) just isn’t the Michael he once was. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him.

“His life is different now and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him. That's all there is to say.

“Unfortunately, fate struck him ten years ago. He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula 1.”

A documentary series was released in Germany last December. Be Michael Schumacherwith contributions from his son Mick, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. Hamilton simply described Schumacher as “a complete, great racing driver.”

The family's lawyer, Felix Damm, revealed last October why a “final report” on the 54-year-old's health was not published.

Open image in gallery

“It was always about protecting private things,” Damm told LTO. “We have considered whether a final report on Michael's health might be the right way to do this.

“But that wouldn't have been the end, there would have had to be constant updated 'water level reports' and it wouldn't have been up to the family when media interest in the story would have stopped.”

Todt has a close relationship with the Schumacher family. In 2022, he revealed that he had seen the German three times a week on a few occasions, adding that he was in “the best hands”… surrounded by people who love him.

Todt also said he is still watching F1 races with Schumacher despite the German's unknown health condition.

Schumacher's son Mick lost his F1 racing seat at Haas in 2022 and is now a reserve driver at Mercedes, for whom Michael drove from 2010 to 2012.

Open image in gallery

In a Netflix documentary that aired in 2021 titled SchumacherCorinna described how his family dealt with the situation and “moved on with their lives.”

“Michael is here. Different, but he is here and that gives us strength, I think,” said Corinna.

“We are together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We are doing everything we can to make Michael better and make sure he is comfortable. And just making him feel like our family, our connection. And no matter what happens, I will do everything I can. We all will do it.

“We are trying to carry on as a family, just as Michael liked and still does. And we move on with our lives. “Private is private,” as he always said.

“It is very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael has always protected us and now we protect Michael.”

Schumacher holds the joint record with Hamilton for the most Formula 1 world championship titles, namely seven.

The article was originally published on December 18, 2023