A decade has passed since a freak happenstance twisted fate. December 19, 2023 marks 10 years after Formula One’s otherworldly phenom Michael Schumacher’s life turned upside down. F1 community’s beloved ‘Schumi’ has been out of the public eye following an outlandish skiing accident dramatically ended his career in 2013.
In the 19 long seasons of Schumacher’s Grand Prix Formula One career, ever since he was about 22 years old, the most serious injury he had endured was a broken leg. But that would change in France in 2013 when Michael hit his head on a rock in a skiing accident.
Formula 1 has known two of the greatest drivers in history – Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Both Gods of speed met almost the same fate. Senna died and Schumi is alive but not the way fans want him to be.
A true German who wore his heart on his sleeve, Schumi was ice-cold and ruthless on the track but stealing hearts with his smile off it. Some reckoned that Michael was a machine, sitting inside a machine, crushing opponents, physically and mentally. Loved, respected and feared, there was no one like him, there will be no one like him. He was a myth and a legend in one, in a league of his own. But history is witness – you can’t live like a God, not for too long.
All these years, earnest fans have begged for a footnote of Michael’s life while also respecting his wife Corinna’s wish to live a private life. But in the 10 years of his tragedy, fans have only been met by an overwhelming silence on his condition. Although his family and friends are pining for recovery, Michael’s friend and Former FIA President Jean Todt has admitted that “he is no longer the Michael from before”. It is said that Michael was once driven in a Mercedes car and sounds from an F1 track are played to him in the hope of recovery but to no avail.
Michael’s legacy in Formula One is carried on by his son and spitting image – Mick Schumacher, who is currently a reserve driver for Mercedes. In the two years that Mick had a seat on the F1 grid he made sure to keep his father’s memory alive. In the absence of Michael, Sebastian Vettel made sure to support Mick throughout his career. Some believe if Michael had been by his son’s side, he wouldn’t have lost his F1 seat.
A decade has passed since the accident but fans are still ‘grieving’ even though clinically Michael Schumacher is alive. They pray for a glimmer of hope or the slightest chance of recovery. It serves as a reminder to all of us to hold onto our loved ones tighter.
The only way now to keep Schumacher’s memory alive is to keep learning from the lessons he has left behind. Fight for your passion, to be clever but not so much you forget to be kind, to be resilient in the face of obstacles, to take risks but strategically, to take leaps of faith, to have perseverance and be courageous.
“I’ve always believed that you should never, ever give up and you should always keep fighting even when there’s only a slightest chance.” – Michael Schumacher