Michael Schumacher was on top of the world when he retired from F1 in 2012.
Considered by many to be the greatest driver of all time, he had a record seven World Drivers Championship titles, which would only be equalled by Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
Schumacher still holds the record for the number of total fastest laps, 77, in the world.
Yet after the F1 legend, 55, had a horrific skiing accident in the French Alps in 2013, the world was shut out of the icon’s life.
The list of people in the know about Schumacher’s condition is short and few have seen or visited Schumacher since he suffered his near-fatal brain injury ten years ago.
His ‘guardian angel’ wife Corinna, 54, has kept an iron grip on who can and can’t see the motorsports hero and almost every detail of his health and condition has been kept secret.
Here, MailOnline takes a look at who is in the F1 champion’s inner circle a decade after the tragic accident that shocked the world…
Michael Schumacher, 55, (pictured after winning the 2006 Italian Grand Prix in Monza) is considered by many to be the greatest F1 driver of all time
Schumacher celebrates after winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 2004
Schumacher skiing at the Italian resort of Madonna di Campiglio, Italy in 2000
Schumacher celebrates as he wins the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, in August 2001
Corinna Schumacher
‘Guardian angel’ Corinna has protected Schumacher since the skiing accident in 2013.
The champion equestrian and animal right activist met Schumacher through a mutual friend in 1991 and they married in 1995.
They have two children – 24-year-old Mick, an F1 racer, and 26-year-old Gina-Maria, an equestrian.
She offered a rare insight on her husband’s state in a Netflix documentary in 2021.
Champion equestrian and animal right activist Corinna met Schumacher through a mutual friend in 1991 and they married in 1995 (pictured)
They have two children – 24-year-old Mick, an F1 racer, and 26-year-old Gina-Maria, an equestrian. Pictured: Corinna and Michael in 2006
His wife Corinna, offered a rare insight on her husband’s state in a Netflix documentary in 2021. Michael and his wife pictured together in 2005
A tearful Corinna told Netflix in 2021 that she misses her husband Michael ‘every day’
‘I miss Michael every day,’ said Corinna, who has enforced a wall of secrecy to protect one of the biggest names in modern sporting times.
‘But it is 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. We’re together. We live together at home.
‘We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond.
”Private is private’, as he always said. It’s 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.’
Mick Schumacher
Following in his father’s footsteps, Mick, 24, became an F1 driver. He became the reserve driving for Mercedes AMG and McLaren after he was dropped by Haas in 2022.
Mick was with his father at the time of the skiing accident. He was just 14 years old.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Mick, 24, became an F1 driver. Pictured: Mick and Michael in 2008
He became the reserve driving for Mercedes AMG and McLaren after he was dropped by Haas. Pictured: Mick in March 2023 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
On January 3, this year, he wished his father a happy 55th birthday, Mick wrote on Instagram: ‘Happy birthday to the best Dad ever. Love you!’
Mick is two years younger than his sister Gina, who followed her mother’s footsteps to become an equestrian
On January 3, this year, he wished his father a happy 55th birthday,
Mick wrote on Instagram: ‘Happy birthday to the best Dad ever. Love you!’
The message showed a photo of them both wearing helmets, with a young Mick smiling and holding his thumb up as Michael looks lovingly towards him.
Laila Hasanovic
Danish model Laila Hasanovic, 23, has been dating Mick since August 2023.
She recently joined the inner circle that is allowed to visit him, according to a Swedish newspaper.
The pair regularly share loved-up photos to their thousands of followers on social media.
Danish model Laila Hasanovic, 23, (pictured) has been dating Mick since August 2023
She recently joined the inner circle that is allowed to visit him, according to a Swedish newspaper
The couple have shared many loved-up snaps to their social media accounts
Mick Schumacher, 24, pictured alongside his Danish model girlfriend Laila Hasanovic, 23
Both were seen on holiday together as well enjoying the sunshine on a yacht in the sea.
According to the paper, there was a vote of confidence at the end of last year before the tenth anniversary of the accident.
Gina-Maria Schumacher
Rather than going into motorsports, Gina, 26, followed in her mother’s footsteps – Corinna was the European champion in western-style horse riding.
Gina-Maria regularly competes in equestrian competitions and has won the the FEI European Reining Championship.
On his birthday a few days ago, Gina-Maria posted alongside a photo of herself with Mick and Michael: ‘Happy Birthday Papa! throwback to one of many of our adventures’.
She is largely based in Switzerland with her fiancé, Iain Bethke, 27.
Gina-Maria will get married later this year at the family’s luxury villa in Majorca to longtime boyfriend Iain, who is also a keen horse rider who she met at a stables.
On his birthday a few days ago, Gina-Maria posted alongside a photo of herself with Mick and Michael: ‘Happy Birthday Papa! throwback to one of many of our adventures’
Gina-Maria (centre) competes equestrian competitions – and has won the the FEI European Reining Championship. Pictured with brother Mick and mother Corinna
Gina-Maria (pictured as a child with her father) will get married later this year at the family’s luxury villa in Majorca to longtime boyfriend Iain, who is also a keen horse rider who she met at a stables
Gina-Maria with her mother in the stands of the stadium in Menton, France, during a charity football match Michael Schumacher played in on May 30, 2000
Michael Schumacher’s daughter Gina, 26, will marry her boyfriend Iain Bethke this summer in Majorca
In her most recent Instagram post, the rider shared a throwback reel of her with beloved horse Sammie
Iain, who is from Berwangen in Germany, has often featured in Gina’s social media snaps. The couple went public with their relationship in December 2017, when they stepped out at an awards ceremony together.
Bunte reports that the couple moved to Switzerland together, whether they are understood to mainly reside now.
However, the pair will be celebrating their nuptials in sunny Mallorca, the outlet claims, saying that a wedding planner from northern Germany has been hired to put the ‘finishing touches’ on the celebration.
It added the couple will say ‘yes’ under an arch of flowers at the villa seven-times F1 world champion Schumacher’s wife is understood to have bought in 2017 from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
Jean Todt
The former F1-boss, 77, has had a three-decade friendship with Schumacher and is one of the few people outside of the family who has seen the motorsports icon.
He and Schumacher watch F1 races together during his monthly visits to the driver’s home in Geneva.
‘I don’t miss Michael, I see him. Yes, it’s true, I watch races with Michael.
‘But sure, I guess what I miss is what we used to do together.’
Michael Schumacher embraces team manager Jean Todt during the Ferrari World Event at the Monza racetrack in northern Italy October 29, 2006
Schumacher and Ferrari CEO Jean Todt walk in the pits of the Monaco racetrack, May 2007 in Monte Carlo, before the third practise session of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix
The former F1-boss, 77, has had a three-decade friendship with Schumacher and is one of the few people outside of the family who has seen the motorsports icon since his skiing accident
‘Him, Corinna, the family, we’ve had so many experiences together. The beauty of what we have experienced is part of us and it goes on.
‘Sometimes success and money changes you. But Michael has never changed. He’s so strong.’
He added: ‘His family are my family.’
Sabine Kehm
Journalist Sabine Kehm, 59, first interviewed Schumacher when she was 29.
She later accepted an offer to become his press officer and then his manager.
Journalist Sabine Kehm, 59, first interviewed Schumacher when she was 29. Pictured: The pair on April 23, 2000, at Silverstone
Schumacher talks with his press officer Sabine Kehm after the qualifying for the French F1 Grand Prix at Magny Cours on July 2, 2005
Sabine Kehm speaks with journalists in front of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Grenoble, near the French Alps in 2014
Remembering a conversation they once had, she said: ‘Once in a long discussion Michael said to me: ‘You don’t need to call me for the next year, I’m disappearing.’
‘I think it was his secret dream to be able to do that someday.
‘That’s why now I still want to protect his wishes in that I don’t let anything get out.’
Luca Badoer
Former Ferrari test driver Badoer, 52, met Schumacher while they were on the Italian team together.
Since the late 1990s they have stayed in touch and Badoer regularly visits Schumacher.
He said the family has welcomed him in and added he would ‘respect their will largely’.
Schumacher and Luca Badoer take a break after testing in a go-kart at the Lonato International Circuit on August 6, 2009, near Brescia, Italy
Former Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer, 52, (pictured) met Schumacher while they were on the Italian team together
He added: ‘I do not even want to talk about this, because I’ve never talked about it, just because the family does not want to.
‘The visits to him are really granted to a few people, at the behest of Corinna. We respect what they want, and there is no need to make controversy.’
Other potential members
It is unclear who of Schumacher’s remaining close family is in the inner circle.
It could include his brother Ralf Schumacher, Ralf’s ex-wife Cora, son David and Michael’s step-brother Sebastian Stahl.
Michael’s younger brother Ralf, 48, who was also an F1 driver, told Bild that ‘nothing is like before.’
He added: ‘I miss my Michael from back then. Life is sometimes unfair. Michael had been lucky many times in his life, but then the tragic accident happened.
It is unclear who of Schumacher’s remaining close family is in the inner circle. It could include his brother Ralf Schumacher, 48 (pictured)
His son son David, 22, (pictured) is a racing driver for Mercedes AMG in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
‘Fortunately, modern medicine has made it possible to do some things.
‘It has been a significant experience for me but, of course, even more so for his children.’
Cora divorced Ralf five years ago and in 2023 revealed she had joined OnlyFans.
The German actress and Playboy model, 46, starred in the country’s version of Celebrity Big Brother.
Cora was married to racing driver Ralf Schumacher (left) from 2001 to 2015, during which they had a son together called David
Cora (pictured) divorced Ralf five years ago and in 2023 revealed she had joined OnlyFans
Michael’s step-brother Sebastian Stahl, 45, (pictured with Michael in 2003) is also a racing driver
She started an account on the subscription platform after posting a video or herself topless on Instagram.
Their son David, 22, is a racing driver for Mercedes AMG in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.
Michael’s step-brother Sebastian Stahl, 45, is also a racing driver.
He previously told VIP.de: ‘I already did motorsports before I met Michael, but Michael was always an idol for me and at the same time a very, very good friend.’
