Michael Schumacher's brother shares heartbreaking revelation about racing in the shadow of the 7x F1 world champion
Michael Schumacher's brother Ralf Schumacher revealed that racing in the shadows of his seven-time world champion sibling was tough, as his efforts were never considered good enough. He recalled getting constantly compared with Michael and how his father advised him to quit the sport.
Ralf Schumacher's F1 career lasted 10 years, from 1997 to 2007. He won six Grand Prixs in 180 race starts and raced for multiple teams, including Jordan and Williams. However, in 2007, he called it quits on his racing career and moved into the broadcasting world instead.
Meanwhile, Ralf's elder brother, Michael, is widely considered as one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. He won seven world championships to set an unprecedented world record only matched by Lewis Hamilton.
However, Michael's achievements overshadowed Ralf's career. In an interview with The Times, the latter revealed how difficult it was to be related to Michael during his racing days.
“People look at you, and everything you do is not good enough. They (my family) are not really into motorsport. My father doesn’t like that. He prefers fishing. Even when Michael was so successful, my father always said to me: ‘Please, do something different.’ Even when Michael was in Formula 1, my father said: ‘No, no, forget it. He was so lucky. One is amazing already, but two [sons] will never make it. So do something else,’" Ralf Schumacher said (via gbnews.com).
While the on-field rivalry always stayed intact, Ralf Schumacher revealed that Michael Schumacher would always celebrate his achievements with the family. Their bond off the track was tight-knit.
Meanwhile, while Ralf is enjoying his alternate career in broadcasting, the seven-time world champion German driver hasn't been seen in public since 2013. He met with a near-fatal accident while skiing, and his health updates are being safeguarded by his family.
Ralf Schumacher calls Michael Schumacher's accident 'unfair'
Michael Schumacher met with a horrific accident while skiing in December 2013. He reportedly suffered severe injuries to his head and has since been out of the public eye. His medical state has been hidden by the family as they wish to protect the racing legend's dignity.
Meanwhile, talking to German magazine Bunte, Ralf Schumacher shared his take on Michael's accident and said (via firstpost.com):
“Unfortunately, sometimes life isn’t fair. We have to accept it. Michael was very lucky throughout his life. But then there was this tragic accident. Michael wasn’t only my brother. When we were kids, he was also my coach and mentor. He taught me literally everything about kart racing."
Michael Schumacher was reportedly seen in public for the first time at his daughter Gina's wedding. However, the event was likely held behind closed doors amid tight security to ensure the German driver's privacy was protected.