F1 chief Flavio Briatore has opened up over why he doesn’t visit Michael Schumacher after the F1 legend’s skiing accident in 2013.
Whilst Briatore may be heading up the Alpine F1 team in the modern era of the sport, his most successful stint came as team principal of Benetton, whom Schumacher competed for between 1991 and 1995 – a previous incarnation of Alpine.
The controversial F1 figure has made a comeback in the sport of late, but Briatore’s genius of spotting Schumacher’s talent and kick-starting his career ahead of the 1991 season cannot be denied.
It was at Benetton where Schumacher went on to claim the first of what would become his record-breaking seven drivers’ titles, taking home the championship in both 1994 and 1995 and the constructors’ title in ’95 under the guidance of Briatore.
Despite their strong bond, which was cemented during their time together at Benetton, Briatore recently revealed that he chooses not to visit Schumacher as he remains in his family home in Switzerland on the road to recovery.
“If I close my eyes, I see Michael Schumacher smiling after a victory. I’d rather remember him like that than just lying in bed,” Briatore told Corriere della Sera.
The 75-year-old also confirmed he is in regular contact with Corinna, Schumacher’s adoring wife who has consistently made an effort to keep her husband’s condition private.
What was Briatore’s relationship like with Schumacher?
Having spotted the generational talent in Schumacher, Briatore built Benetton around the young star.
Thanks to his back-to-back championship success in the mid-90s, Schumacher then moved to Ferrari for the 1996 season and after suffering title defeat and a broken leg across the next three years, his time finally came in 2000, and from then on he was unstoppable.
Benetton’s loss of their star driver to Ferrari eventually resulted in Briatore being replaced as the team’s principal in 1997, but his relationship with Schumacher never failed to remain mutually respectful.
The German racer went on to claim five consecutive title victories, a feat that reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen is currently attempting to match.
Schumacher’s time with Benetton and the faith Briatore instilled in him catapulted him to stardom and earned him a place forever among the greats of the sport.
