Politicians in Michael Schumacher's hometown decide against making him a honorary citizen
Michael Schumacher, former F1 driver and seven-time world champion, has been denied honorary citizenship from the town of Kerpen, Germany. The city council reportedly discussed the matter for months before deciding to not award citizenship to the racing legend, as it would "not make sense."
Schumacher spent over two decades in F1, where he won seven world championships, setting the record for most titles secured in the history of the sport before Lewis Hamilton equaled that number in 2020. Over his glorious career, the German native scored 91 race wins and 1566 career points. He made his debut with Jordan before switching to Benetton. He most famously drove for Ferrari and finished his F1 career with Mercedes. Eventually, in 2013, Hamilton replaced Michael Schumacher at Mercedes, leading to the latter's retirement from F1.
Schumacher was born in Hurth, in the former West Germany, in 1969. However, he spent most of his childhood in Kerpen, where he fell in love with racing. Michael's karting journey began at the Kerpen circuit, where his dad, Rolf Schumacher, worked as the manager.
Given his love for the town, his fan club wanted the council of politicians to award Schumacher an honorary citizenship. However, as reported by Rundschau, the Kerpen council has rejected the request. According to the report, Kerpen town has no code of honor.
Michael Schumacher's relationship with the German town runs deep as he fought against the closing of Kerpen Circuit. However, after his accident in 2013, the circuit lost that battle and was closed in 2020.
The 55-year-old has been awarded honorary citizenship by the cities of Maranello, Spa, Modena, and Sarajevo.
Michael Schumacher's family allegedly blackmailed by a nurse
Former F1 legend Michael Schumacher's family has lodged a case against a nurse who reportedly blackmailed them for €15 million. According to The Independent, the nurse, who worked with the family until 2020, threatened to leak hundreds of photos and videos of the driver in a hospital bed.
Meanwhile, Schumacher's former bodyguard has been accused of aiding the nurse's blackmail plot by leaking sensitive media files through hard drives. However, his lawyer in court claimed innocence, saying the files were stolen by thieves from the family's home in Germany.
The trial over the blackmailing incident is currently underway, with Schumacher's wife, Corinna, requesting privacy. She insisted that the proceedings should be held behind closed doors to maintain the dignity of Michael and to avoid further leaks of sensitive material involving her husband, who remains in critical condition.
Since Michael Schumacher suffered a near-fatal skiing accident in 2013, his wife and family have been tight-lipped about the legend's health status. He continues to remain in 24/7 hospital care, and only a handful of family members and close friends are allowed to visit him.