Michael Schumacher's brother Ralf on F1 legend's life-altering accident: 'Sometimes life isn't fair'

Michael Schumacher’s brother Ralf made a heart-breaking admission while discussing the Formula 1 legend’s health and how ski accident more than a decade ago changed his life forever as well as those of his immediate family members.

Seven-time F1 world champion Michael has been out of the public eye ever since he met with a near-fatal accident while skiiing in the French Alps in 2013 – a year after he retired from the sport for a second time.

Since the skiing accident, Michael has been leading a quiet life at his residence in Gland, Switzerland for the past decade with wife Corinna and children Gina-Maria and Mick fiercely guarding his privacy while looking after him.

Even Ralf and other family members have reportedly lost touch with Michael and his family over the years as a result of their private life, with only a handful of medical practitioners having access to the racing legend besides his wife and children.

Speaking to German magazine Bunte, Ralf spoke on how “life isn’t fair” and how he missed “Michael of the old”.

“Unfortunately, sometimes life isn’t fair. We have to accept it. When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles. If someone in the family is looking for my advice, I’m there. They go their own way.”

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“I miss the Michael of the old days. Life is unfair from time to time. Michael was very lucky throughout his life. But then there was this tragic accident. Michael wasn’t only my brother. When we were kids, he was also my coach and mentor. He taught me literally everything about kart racing,” said Ralf, who had recently come out as gay that led to further tensions with his ex-wife Cora.

Michael, however, had reportedly been spotted at daughter Gina-Maria's wedding to boyfriend Iain Bethke at the Schumacher family’s villa on the Spanish island of Majorca in what would have been his first public appearance since his accident.

German newspaper Bild, however, reported that while ‘Schumi’ blessed the union at the sprawling villa, it was highly unlikely he would have minged with anyone apart from close family members.

While elder brother Michael is widely considered one of the greatest F1 racers of all time with seven drivers’ championship titles, five of them coming with Ferrari, along with 91 race wins and 155 career podiums.

Ralf too made his mark in the elite open-wheel, single-seater racing competition, winning six races in his decade-long career that made him and Michael the first sibling pair to secure wins in F1 races. They’re also the first siblings to have secured the first and second positions in a race.