Michael Schumacher 'seen in public for first time in 11 years'
Tom SandersPublished Oct 1, 2024, 3:47pm|Updated Oct 1, 2024, 6:17pm
Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has reportedly been spotted in public for the first time in 11 years after he attended his daughter Gina-Marie’s wedding.
Schumacher’s family have been fiercely protective of his privacy after he sustained a life-changing brain injury during a skiing accident in 2013.
While the full extent of the injury has never been made public it marked an abrupt end to Schumacher’s public life, who has lived in total secrecy ever since.
Only three close family members and a team of medics are said to have access to the 55-year-old, which has seen him become estranged from his extended family members- most notably his brother and fellow F1 driver Ralf, 49.
But after over a decade of silence, there are signs that Schumacher’s family may finally be willing to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding him.
This weekend saw Schumacher’s daughter Gina-Marie, 27, wed Iain Bethke at the family’s luxury four-acre Mallorca villa – purchased by the family for around £27million in 2017 from Real Madrid chairman Florentino Perez.
The secluded villa- which has its own landing pad used to transport Michael from Majorca to his family home by Lake Geneva in Switzerland- is part of a 15,000 square metre estate which boasts two swimming pools, a helipad, a gym and a huge palm-tree-fringed garden.
Given the property’s sprawling estate and secluded nature, it seemed only fitting to tie the knot at the luxury property.
While privacy was still closely guarded, with guests required to leave their phones at the door, the wedding is believed to be the first time Michael has been allowed in public since his accident and interacted with friends and family members, potentially signally a softening in wife Corinna’s approach.
Last year, Ralf revealed he was no longer in touch with his brother and wife, but said he is always there to offer support.
‘When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles,’ Ralf told German magazine Bunte.
‘If someone in the family is looking for my advice, I’m there. They go their own way.’
Yet despite the somewhat frosty relationship between Ralf and Corinna, it is believed his decision to come out as gay followed a split from ex-wife Cora has helped mend bridges within the family.
Majorcan news outlet Ultima Hora reported that the ceremony lasted for around half-an-hour and that the newlyweds said ‘I do’ at around 4pm.
And after the apparent success of the big day, there are signs that Michael may attend more public events in the near-future.
Although nothing is official yet, there are rumours that Michael and Corinna’s youngest son Mick may have proposed to his girlfriend, Danish lingerie model Laila Hasanovic, 24, with another family wedding rumoured to be in the pipeline for 2025.
Laila has been with F1 reserve driver Mick, 25, for around 18 months, and has reportedly made close bonds within the Schumacher family during that time.
Bild says the family are ‘smitten’ with the model, who is regularly included in their family plans and is one of the few non-blood relations who has been allowed to visit Michael.
Mick congratulated his sister Gina on her wedding via Instagram story on Sunday, writing: ‘I’m so happy for you two.’
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