Ralf Schumacher: I miss Michael

Ten years ago, Michael Schumacher was seriously injured while skiing at the Meribel resort in the French Alps. In an interview with Bild, Ralf spoke about his older brother.

Ralf Schumacher: “What happened then changed our family. This is a very difficult experience for all of us, for me, for his children, because Mick was also skating with him at the time. Unfortunately, life is not always fair, and in this situation Michael was very unlucky.

Michael is not just my brother. When I was young, he was my coach and mentor. He taught me everything about karting. There is a seven year difference between us, but he was always there. We rode the cart together, practiced overtaking, all those things that are important in motorsport. I gained important experience, which I later used in racing. I had the opportunity to learn from the best.

We actually grew up in a gravel pit next to the karting track in Kerpen. When our parents bought a house, we initially lived in one room and slept on a mattress on the floor – we had no money for a bed. And then Michael joined the Mercedes youth program. Even now I can’t believe what happened in the end.

I miss Michael from those years. Life isn’t fair sometimes. He had been lucky many times in his life, but then this tragedy happened. Fortunately, modern medicine has made it possible to do some things, but it will never be the same as before.”