Michael Schumacher turned 57 on Saturday, with his daughter sharing a heartfelt message to mark the occasion, while the Formula 1 legend continues to be cared for years on from his skiing accident
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Gina Schumacher shared a post to celebrate her father’s birthday(Image: Gina Schumacher / Instagram)
Michael Schumacher’s daughter dubbed the Ferrari Formula 1 legend as “the best forever” as his family celebrated his 57th birthday on Saturday. Gina, 28, took to Instagram to share a heart-warming childhood photograph of herself and her younger brother, Mick, smiling alongside their parents and dogs.
Alongside the photograph, she wrote: “The best forever. Happy birthday, Dad!” alongside a red love heart emoji. It comes as Schumacher continues to recover from a horrific skiing accident 12 years ago.
While he survived, the seven-time F1 champion has stayed out of the public eye since. As a result, the details surrounding his current state are incredibly scarce outside of his tight-knit circle of family and friends.
The incident occurred in the French Alps, with Schumacher veering off-piste before striking his head on a rock. Despite wearing a helmet, Schumacher was airlifted to hospital and placed in a medically-induced coma for a number of months.
He was then transferred to his family residence at Lake Geneva, where he currently lives with round-the-clock medical care. Reports suggest that Schumacher has as many as 15 people providing constant care for him.
It is also understood that he is bedbound and unable to communicate verbally. Instead, Elisabetta Gregoraci – who was the former partner of ex-F1 chief Flavio Briatore – claims that Schumacher uses his eyes to interact with those around him.
She said: “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.”
It comes as Gina is set to launch a YouTube channel, where she could potentially offer an insight into her father’s condition. The equestrian, who often showcases her talents on Instagram, has also remained tight-lipped about the health of her father as she looks to keep family privacy in-tact.
It’s a stance that is shared by Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, who explained in a 2021 documentary: “We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael.”
Elsewhere, Schumacher’s manager, Sabine Kehm, has also reiterated the stance on privacy. She explained in the past: “Michael’s health is not a public issue, and so we will continue to make no comment in that regard.”
The preview to Gina’s new channel shows her with her horses and friends, but as of yet, does not look to feature anything with regards to her father’s health status or wider life. Now based in Switzerland, Gina initially tried her hand at karting.
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Michael Schumacher was involved in a skiing accident in 2013(Image: Bongarts/Getty Images)
However, speaking to German broadcaster, NDR, she explained that it was the equestrian life which ultimately took her fancy given a preference to horses. Western riding in particular has been a success for Gina.
In August 2017, she achieved a gold medal in the FEI World Reining Championships of Switzerland. The following year, meanwhile, she snagged another gold at the National Reining Horse Association’s novice Cavalli, as well as finishing top of the World Championships for junior riders.
In 2024, Gina married long-term partner, Iain Bethke, before announcing last year that they had welcomed their first child together. Gina and Iain are said to have exchanged vows at the Schumacher family villa in Majorca, with an exclusive guest list in attendance.
