Michael Schumacher’s former team boss Flavio Briatore has offered a poignant glimpse into the F1 legend’s private world.
He says he chooses to remember Schumacher as he was, rather than dwell on the heartbreaking reality of his condition more than 10 years after his devastating ski crash.
Schumacher has not been seen publicly since suffering catastrophic brain injuries during a skiing accident in the French Alps in December 2013. The seven-time world champion, now 56, has been under 24-hour care at his family home in Switzerland ever since.
In a rare comment, Briatore — who oversaw Schumacher’s rise at Benetton and remains close to his wife, Corinna — reflected on how he chooses to remember the F1 great, rather than focus on his current condition.
‘If I close my eyes, I see him smiling after a win,’ he told Corriere della Sera. ‘I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed. Corinna and I talk often, though.’
The stark image of Schumacher ‘just lying on a bed’ has reinforced the sense of tragedy surrounding his long struggle, with fans and even some friends largely kept in the dark due to the family’s unwavering commitment to privacy.
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Michael Schumacher pictured in 2012 — one year before he suffered a horrific ski accident
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Flavio Briatore, pictured (left) with Schumacher in 1995 during their time together at Benetton, does not like to think of the F1 legend ‘just lying on a bed’ in his current state
Briatore’s comments echo those of his ex-wife, Elisabetta Gregoraci, who claimed in an earlier interview that Schumacher is unable to speak and is visited by only a handful of people.
‘Michael doesn’t speak, he communicates with his eyes,’ she said. ‘Only three people can visit him and I know who they are.’
That aligns with reports from German journalist Felix Gorner, who said earlier this year the F1 icon is ‘completely dependent’ on caregivers and ‘can no longer express himself verbally.’
Despite the silence, a small circle of confidants continues to visit Schumacher — among them Jean Todt, the man who worked alongside him during his dominant Ferrari years.
‘I see him regularly and with affection, him and his family. Our bond goes beyond the past work,’ Todt told La Repubblica.
‘It is part of my life, which today is very far from Formula 1.’
Todt has previously revealed he watches races with Schumacher, even if things are no longer as they once were. In 2023, he told L’Equipe: ‘[He] is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children, who protect him.’
The Schumacher family’s desire to shield him from public view has led to confusion — and at times, misinformation. Last year, reports circulated that Schumacher had attended daughter Gina-Maria’s wedding in Majorca, but that was swiftly debunked.
‘Unfortunately, from what I understand, that was all A1 fake news and no truth in it,’ said former Benetton team-mate Johnny Herbert.
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Briatore said of the seven-time world champ: ‘If I close my eyes, I see him smiling after a win’
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Schumacher and his wife Corinna pictured at Frankfurt’s Sportpresseball in November 2012
Nonetheless, the family continue to involve Michael in moments of meaning. Earlier this year, it emerged that he had contributed to a helmet signed by every living F1 world champion for Sir Jackie Stewart’s Race Against Dementia charity.
‘It is wonderful that Michael could sign the helmet in this worthy cause,’ Stewart told the Mail Sport.
‘His wife helped him, and it completed the set of every single champion still with us.’
Schumacher’s wife Corinna also gave a rare glimpse into their life together in the 2021 Netflix documentary Schumacher, explaining how the family remain united around him.
‘Michael is here. Different, but he’s here, and that gives us strength, I find,’ she said.
‘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 no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will.’
