Details of how Michael Schumacher communicates as F1 star spotted ‘in public’ | F1 | Sport
The ex-wife of former Formula One boss Flavio Briatore has previously revealed the heart-breaking way Michael Schumacher communicates. The F1 icon is reported to have attended the wedding of his daughter Gina this week.
Strict rules meant that guests were not allowed to take photos of the Mallorca villa in which the ceremony took place, it has been claimed. Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, has kept her husband’s well-being a closely-guarded secret since his life-altering skiing crash in 2013.
Guests invited to Gina Schumacher’s wedding are reported to have seen the seven-time World Drivers’ champion in attendance, though. Few details of Schumacher’s condition have been made public since his accident.
However, it has previously been speculated that Schumacher can no longer speak. Instead, he communicates with his eyes.
That is according to Elisabetta Gregoraci, the former wife of Briatore. She said: “Michael doesn’t speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him and I know who they are. They moved to Spain and his wife has set up a hospital in that house.”
Claims that Schumacher is unable to speak were all but confirmed by his son Mick, who has also carved out a career as a Formula One driver. He made rare comments about his relationship with his father in a 2021 Netflix documentary about Michael’s life.
Schumacher Jr said: “I think dad and me, we would understand each other now in a different way now.”
Former Ferrari boss Jean Todt has also spoken about his friend’s wellbeing. He described Schumacher’s life as “different” to the one he led before the skiing accident, which happened in the French Alps.
Todt said last year: “Michael is here, so I don’t miss him. [But he] is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him.
“His life is different now and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him. That’s all there is to say. Unfortunately, fate struck him ten years ago. He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula One.”
In 2020, Schumacher was reported to have moved permanently into the exclusive Mallorca villa, which the family bought for £27m in 2017. It is widely claimed that he receives round-the-clock care from his wife and medical professionals.
