Sebastian Vettel was a close friend of Michael Schumacher before the F1 legend’s skiing accident in 2013

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Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher were close friends(Image: Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Sebastian Vettel previously left several Formula One fans in tears after sharing a photo alongside his hero Michael Schumacher. The four-time world champion posted a nostalgic picture on social media around this time three years ago of the F1 legend helping him during his karting career.

Schumacher won seven world titles, twice triumphing with Benetton before clinching five consecutive championships with Ferrari from 2000 to 20004. The 57-year-old suffered life-changing injuries from a skiing accident in December 2013.

The German driver has not been seen in public since the incident, with his wife Corinna keeping a close inner circle to prevent leaks about her husband’s health. Vettel has not seen Schumacher since the skiing accident, but did share a bond with his compatriot that went beyond the F1 grid.

The pair were on rival teams during Schumacher’s three-year comeback with Mercedes and teamed up to win six consecutive Race of Champions Nations’ Cups for Germany. However, Vettel showed that their relationship stretched back decades in a social media post almost three years ago.

The photo showed Schumacher kneeling down to a young Vettel in a silver kart. Posting the snap on Instagram in 2023, Vettel captioned the picture: “Receiving last Orders (NRW Cup Final, Kerpen, Germany).”

The post provoked an emotional response from F1 fans, who welcomed seeing the old photo of Schumacher. One wrote: “This right here. This is cute.” A second said: “Seb, I don’t want to cry, but now you are making me.” A third commented: “Who’s cutting onions man?” A fourth added: “Now I am crying in the subway…”

In 2023, Vettel showed the depth of his relationship with Schumacher by recalling their last conversation before his life-altering injuries. “Of course, the first thoughts immediately went to the last conversation we had together, and that couldn’t be more positive,” Vettel told RTL.

“I told him that I was going to be a father and what was coming for us. And I think I really appreciated it towards the end in that sense, where our relationship became stronger and stronger before the accident.

“Because I think we both got to know each other more and more and racing was no longer the biggest thing we had in common, but life in general and life with and around racing. And I just miss my friend.”

Repaying Schumacher’s earlier mentorship, Vettel previously took his son Mick under his wing. Despite being on opposing teams, Vettel offered the young driver guidance shortly after he had made his way onto the F1 grid.

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Vettel helped Mick Schumacher during his time as an F1 driver(Image: Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images)

“I am obviously friends with his father and his father is my hero,” Vettel said of Mick in 2021. “We get along really well and I’m happy to help with stuff that maybe I can help with.”

Meanwhile, Mick, who now competes in endurance racing, was full of praise for Vettel’s advice at the time. “He’s a huge help for me in all ways, anything on and off the track,” Schumacher Jr said. “I’m happy that I can go back to somebody that has so much experience but also that is so likeable. Very happy he’s around.”