Michael Schumacher's wife Corinna has been 'like a prisoner' caring for F1 icon

29 December 2023 , 10:15

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Michael and Corinna Schumacher have been married since 1995 (Image: Getty Images)

Michael Schumacher ’s wife Corinna has lived “like a prisoner” since the F1 icon’s tragic skiing accident a decade ago.

The former Ferrari driver was involved in a life-changing incident in 2013, and his family have approached his condition with the utmost privacy. That accounts for his wife Corinna, with the 45-year-old having been married to Schumacher since 1995.

She has rarely spoken out about the seven-time F1 champion’s condition since the accident. She did, however, break her silence in September 2021 to explain why the family took such a stance.

Speaking in a Netflix documentary titled ‘Schumacher’, Corinna said: "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. Everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here - different, but here. He still shows me how strong he is every day.

"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.

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"And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will. We're trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.

"'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."

Michael Schumacher called his wife Corinna as his "guardian angel" (Getty Images)

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While Corinna has continued to care for her husband, she has also received plenty of tributes from a number of Schumacher’s close friends and colleagues. Even before the accident, Schumacher himself regularly hailed his wife and the influence she had on his career.

Speaking on German TV, he hailed her as his “guardian angel” when attempting to explain their secret to their happy marriage. He said: “It’s because we share the same values. During all the time I was racing she was my guardian angel.”

With a decade having now passed since the crash, Johnny Herbert has recently praised Corinna for her attitude and selfless care of her husband.

Detailing the relationship he held with Corinna before the accident to Grosvenor Casinos, he said: “I knew Corinna a little bit because she used to be with Heinz Harald Frentzen before she met Michael. She has said they are trying to carry on as a family as Michael would have wanted. They are getting on with their lives but private does mean private.

“Corinna is a lovely lady. She has been around the paddock a long, long time. My wife used to sit around with her and have long chats during our time together in 1995.

“She is a very family oriented woman who was obviously very strong even at that time, dealing with all the pressures of being the wife of Michael Schumacher then bringing up the kids as well was always a big deal.

Corinna Schumacher cares for husband Michael to this day (Getty Images)

“Then the awful accident, then Mick coming into karting which I think Gerhard helped him with in the early days. Corinna was always there for Mick, as he moved through F3, F2 then into F1. She wasn’t at every race but she was always a huge support for him.”

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Herbert is not the only one to have hailed Corinna and her near-constant care of her husband. Speaking earlier this year, Eddie Jordan - a close friend of Schumacher - revealed the devastating impact that the accident had on the family.

"This was the most horrific situation for Mick and Corinna," the Irishman told The Sun. "It's been nearly ten years now and Corinna has not been able to go to a party, to lunch or this or that, she's like a prisoner because everyone would want to talk to her about Michael when she doesn't need reminding of it every minute."

Daniel Orme