What Michael Schumacher's life is like, 11 years after his accident.

Michael Schumacher was once riding the high of being the world's greatest Formula One driver.

To this day his record seven wins are yet to be beaten (they've only been equalled by Lewis Hamilton in 2020). Statistically, he remains the best Formula One driver in history.

After such a consistent streak of success throughout his racing career, Schumacher officially retired in 2012 (he had previously retired in 2006 but returned to the track briefly in 2010).

In 2013, he had a catastrophic skiing accident that would change his life forever.

Following the life-changing accident, Formula One journalist and friend of Schumacher's, Roger Benoit, reportedly said at the time that the racing car driver's condition was "a case without hope."

Watch: The official trailer for Netflix's Schumacher. Post continues after video.

Now, the seven-time world champion has made his first 'public' appearance in over a decade.

Attending his daughter Gina-Marie's wedding at the family's villa in Mallorca, Schumacher's presence marks a major moment for the family, given the extreme privacy surrounding his life since his tragic skiing accident in 2013.

This is the first time he's been seen by anyone outside his inner circle since the accident.

The wedding was an intimate affair, with strict rules in place to protect Schumacher's privacy. Guests were required to leave their mobile phones at the entrance, and only close family and a few trusted friends were present.

Michael Schumacher reportedly attended the wedding of his daughter, Gina-Marie. Credit: Instagram.

However, multiple outlets have confirmed that Schumacher was in attendance, offering a rare glimpse into his life post-accident.

Gina-Marie, an accomplished equestrian like her mother Corinna, tied the knot with equestrian Iain Bethke. The ceremony took place at the family's luxury villa, which they purchased from Real Madrid chairman Florentino Pérez in 2017.

Schumacher, who lives at their home in Switzerland on Lake Geneva, was transported to the villa for the occasion.

A shift in Schumacher's privacy.

For years, Schumacher's wife Corinna has been fiercely protective of his privacy, allowing only a select few into their inner circle.

But it seems that things are changing. Schumacher's brother Ralf, who previously revealed he had been shut out from seeing his brother, was reportedly invited to the wedding. He expressed his joy for his niece Gina-Marie over her nuptials, saying, "When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles."

Adding to this change, Mick Schumacher's girlfriend, Danish model Laila Hasanovic, has also been granted access to Michael.

Wife Corinna has been fiercely protective of her husband's privacy. Credit: Getty

She has reportedly become part of the family's tight-knit group, another sign that the once ironclad walls of privacy are beginning to soften.

Jean Todt, Schumacher's close friend and former Ferrari boss, has spoken candidly about his friend's condition.

In an interview last year, Todt shared, "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."

Former teammate Johnny Herbert recently added to the conversation, saying Schumacher is capable of "sitting at the dinner table," hinting at some level of physical ability despite his condition.

Elisabetta Gregoraci, ex-wife of former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore, also gave insight into Schumacher's condition, stating, "Michael doesn't speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him and I know who they are."

Fans, who have long been devoted to the #KeepFightingMichael movement, will no doubt continue to support Schumacher through this rare glimpse into his life.

The accident that would change Michael Shumacher's life.

On the 29th of December, 2013, Schumacher was skiing in the French Alps with his then 14-year-old son, Mick (now a Formula One driver himself).

As Schumacher crossed an unsecured, off-piste area, he fell, hitting his head on a rock. Despite wearing a helmet Schumacher sustained a near-fatal brain injury that soon saw him airlifted to Grenoble Hospital. It was there he received two operations and was then placed in a medically induced coma which was set to last for 250 days.

In 2014, he showed positive signs of improvement. Doctors gradually withdrew him from his coma and after being relocated to Lausanne University Hospital, he was able to return to his family mansion in Switzerland to continue his slow recovery from the horrific accident.

In 2021, Netflix released the documentary Schumacher in which his family shared details about his condition.

"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," his wife, a champion equestrian, Corinna said, indicating his battle to return to some kind of normalcy was still far from over.

The documentary was a rare foray into the state of Schumacher's health for many fans. Meanwhile, he has not been publicly seen since his accident.

"It's very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible, Michael always protected us, now we are protecting Michael." Corinna also stated during the documentary.

Michael and Corinna Schumacher before the accident. Image: Getty.

In a 2019 episode of the podcast F1: Beyond the Grid, British Formula One, managing director, Ross Brawn, spoke of his enduring friendship with Schumacher, citing his loyal character and consistent nature, and how these qualities improved the team's performance overall.

He also spoke of Schumacher's, "Good nice standards in regards to the way he lived his life" explaining that during the off-season he was more focused on enjoying time with his family than being in the public eye. He also stated that his friend and former colleague had, "always dealt with his issues behind closed doors."

In 2023, a German magazine published a 'first interview' with Schumacher which included quotes that had been invented by generative AI. Schumacher's family subsequently stated they would sue the magazine and the editor responsible was fired.

Despite the prognosis of Schumacher's health seemingly remaining dim, his family have continued his charitable work in his honour through their charity, Keep Fighting, whilst fans continue to use the #keepfightingmichael hashtag to honour his uphill recovery.

Before his 2013 accident, Schumacher was quoted as saying "I've always believed that you should never, ever give up and you should always keep fighting even when there's only the slightest chance."

Feature Image: Getty.

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