Flavio Briatore about Schumacher: I want to remind him with a smile!

Flavio Briatore about Schumacher: I want to remind him with a smile!

In a rare and moving insight into the health of Michael Schumacher, ex-team boss Flavio Briatore recently explained that he prefers to keep the former Formula 1 world champion with a smile instead of seeing him in the state of care. Schumacher, who has not appeared in public since his serious skiing accident in December 2013, lives withdrawn at Lake Geneva, surrounded by his family and a medical care team. Access to him is limited to a narrow circle of around 20 people. Briatore emphasizes that he did not visit Schumacher, but regularly keeps contact with his wife Corinna. RTL reporter Felix Görner describes this situation as "very sad", confirming that Schumacher is in need of care.

in April 2025, Schumacher, Although Assisted by Corinna, signed a helmet for the charity organization "Race Against Dementia". Briatore, who led Schumacher at Benetton to his first two world championship titles, points out that the driver from Kerpen is still one of the largest of the Formula 1 and also calls Ayrton Senna and Fernando Alonso. Nevertheless, he admits that Max Verstappen is currently the clear number one.

a deep look into the past

The Formula-1 has made extensive efforts in recent decades to increase the safety of the drivers. The tragic accident of Jules Bianchi in 2014, which died in a coma after a impact in Suzuka after nine months, has led to new security measures being discussed and implemented. Before his accident, the last fatal incident was in Formula 1 of the Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna in 1994.

Numerous security standards have been introduced since Bianchi and Senna. Among them were established in 2015 new guidelines for the construction of the vehicle noses and a virtual safety car system for the races. Security measures such as crash tests have been mandatory since 2012 during the test drives, and in 2014 the vehicle nose was reduced from 500 mm to 185 mm to minimize injury risks.

Schumacher's legacy

Despite the challenges and the sad circumstances under which Schumacher lives, his legacy remains undisputed. With seven world championship titles, 71 fastest rounds and 155 podiums, it is still considered a legend in motorsport. Briatore emphasizes this by saying: "The big ones were always Schumacher, Senna and Alonso." While the discussion about the best driver of all time continues, it turns out that Michael Schumacher's influence on Formula 1 and the world of racing continues to this day.

The current situation Michael Schumacher remains a source of sadness for many fans and the entire motorsport community, but also the hope of a positive development in the future.