As the mists of time swirl around the finer details of Michael Schumacher’s racing career, he remains the man who conquered Formula One with a record seven world titles many believed would never e beaten. Yet as the 10 year anniversary of his tragic ski accident approaches, Michael is still being cared for in his Swiss home by full time medical staff.

Michael Schumacher - Figure 1
Photo TheJudge13

In the world of motorsport where climbing the ladder requires huge sums of money, Schumacher’s family and their social circles never had the resources for Michael to even progress to Germany’s F3 division.

Weber spots precocious talent

Yet one man saw the talent Michael possessed and he was fellow German Willi Weber. 

Having been persuaded he was not good enough to make it as a racing driver, Webber co-invested in an F3 team and went on the hunt for the next superstar of the future.

At a lowly Formula Ford race in Salzburg in Austria he spotted a young man racing for the first time in this category who won the race with consummate ease.

The young man was Michael Schumacher from Kerpen and Weber invited him to test for his F3 team back at Hockenheim. Convinced Schumacher had what it took to go all the way, Weber signed him and made the first of his infamous 15% commission deals.

FIA plans could see F1 cars 5 seconds slower

Michael “lucky” F1 break

Weber’s connections with Mercedes-Benz saw Schumacher entered into their junior driver programme which ultimately gave him the financial backing that saw him debut for Jordan Grand Prix as a replacement for Bertrand Gachot who had just been sentenced to 2 months in prison for an altercation with a London taxi driver.

Just over three years later, Michael won the F1 drivers’ championship and the first ever German champion successfully defended his title the next season.

Weber decided to focus on Michael and F1, sold his F3 team and was the centre of all the commercial deals which turned Schumacher into one of the highest earning sportsman at that time.

Since Michael’s accident ten years ago, Weber has said little about his condition but now states he ‘no longer has hope’ of speaking to his former friend and client again.

Jean Todt joins F1 criticism of FIA president

Schumacher was skiing with his son Mick in the French Alps December 29th 2013, when he sustained a serious head injury after crashing whilst traversing an off-piste area.

Michael was placed into an induced coma for almost six months before he was retuned ton th family home in Geneva, Since then his wife Corina has cared for him but rarely offered updates on the once global megastars progress.

Speaking to Express.de, Weber was questioned over his current relationship with Schumacher ten years after the accident

“Unfortunately when I think of Michael now, I no longer have any hope of seeing him again. Without any positive news after ten years,” Weber revealed.

Hamilton claim silenced: “he’s wrong about Red Bull”

Medical opinion  grim

At the time of Schumacher’s accident, the world’s attention was focused on his prognosis and Gary Hartstein F1 doctor and trauma specialist said: 

“The fact that they undertook something almost immediately, that he was admitted to the surgical unit, suggests that something very serious has happened.”

The general consensus amongst the medical community was grim in terms of Schumacher ever making a full recovery and Corina closed up the circle of friends who were to have contact which included Former Ferrari boss, Jean Todt, who was the FIA president at the time.

Speaking to Radio Monte Carlo in 2019, Todt gave an update on his form er driver’s condition.

F1 boss refuse to accept rule change

Rare update from Schumacher’s wife

“I’m always careful with such statements, but it’s true. I saw the race together with Michael Schumacher at his home in Switzerland. Michael is in the best hands and is well looked after in his house. He does not give up and keeps fighting.

“His family is fighting just as much and of course our friendship can not be the same as it once was. Just because there’s no longer the same communication as before. He continues to fight. And his family is fighting the same way.”

Michael’s wife three years later gave another update to fans in July 2022.

“I miss Michael every day. But it’s not just me who misses him. It’s the children, the family, his father, everyone around him. I mean, everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here. Different, but he’s here and that gives us strength, I find.”

“We try to carry on a family as Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives. ‘Private is private’, as he always said. It is very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael.”

Ecclestone: “Schumacher was in the wrong hands”

Weber cut from the close circle

Since then there has been much speculation over Schumacher’s exact state of health with Bernie Ecclestone being the latest to provide comment two months ago.

“He is not with us at the moment. But when he gets better, he’ll answer all the questions,” said the former F1 supremo.

Weber who made Schumacher’s career is clearly kept out of the close circle of people Corina has established given his comments recently to an RTLspecial commemorating his maiden title win 25 years ago.

“I know that Michael has been badly hurt, but unfortunately not what progress he makes in rehab,” remarked Weber.

Massa huge boost in reversing Hamilton 2008 title

Corina holds out grains of hope

“I’d like to know how he’s doing and shake hands or stroke his face. But unfortunately this is rejected by Corinna. She probably fears that I will immediately recognise what is going on and make the truth public.”

In reality no one knows exactly how Michael is, though it is unlikely as neurosurgeon Erich Riederer recently offering his opinion claimed Michael is in a “vegetative state.”

There is clearly hope from Corina that Michael will regain the ability to communicate again one day and that he has some ability to know he is in fact alive. Otherwise after ten years the hope would wear extremely thin were he completely as Riederer describes. 

READ MORE: F1 team owner shares leak about RB 2024 car