Who is Ralf Schumacher? Racing driver's son speaks out about parents' messy split

David Schumacher has spoken retired to support his father, Ralf, arsenic his feud with his ex-wife Cora rumbles on.

The brace person been embroiled successful a messy divided and a nationalist warfare of words aft Ralf – a erstwhile F1 driver – came retired arsenic cheery and announced helium was successful information successful emotion with his French concern manager Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne successful July this year.

The nationalist announcement began the nationalist spat betwixt Ralf and his erstwhile woman Cora, who said she had “wasted her champion years” connected him.

Now the pair’s son, David, has waded into the statement – speaking connected a now-deleted Instagram communicative to support his dad.

He wrote: “Normally I wouldn't privation to speech astir household matters successful nationalist due to the fact that these topics person nary concern being talked astir online.

“Unfortunately my parent seems to beryllium looking astatine this differently. It is present clip to enactment an extremity to it: I conscionable privation to unrecorded my beingness successful peace, [and] scope my goals without being asked astir each the things my parent accuses maine and my dada of.”

He added his parent had suffered from “mental problems” for “as agelong arsenic I tin remember”, adding: “When my parents divorced successful 2015, my parent threatened maine that if I didn't unrecorded with her, she would destruct my life's dream, meaning my imagination of being a racing operator would beryllium destroyed because, owed to the custody of some parents, she would nary longer motion the indispensable documents.”

But what bash we cognize astir Ralf? Read connected for more.

His emotion for racing began astatine the property of 3 successful the signifier of karting and helium archetypal raced successful Formula One successful the 1997 season. He was portion of the Williams squad and won his archetypal Grand Prix successful 2001 and past 5 much races implicit 2 years.

Schumacher near the Williams squad astatine the extremity of 2004 and joined Toyota Racing successful 2005 but near Formula One arsenic a effect of interior unit successful 2007.

He retired from motorsport astatine the extremity of 2012 to mentor young drivers and present works arsenic a co-commentator for Sky Sports successful Germany.

Cora Schumacher had been joined to Ralf for 14 years. They divided successful 2015 and person been embroiled successful a nationalist spat since helium came retired successful July.

Cora has accused Ralf of “lying” successful interviews and has said helium “wasted” her champion years during their marriage.

This summertime Ralf came retired arsenic cheery via his societal media pages, becoming the astir ­high-profile operator successful the sport’s past to bash so.

He made the announcement connected Instagram successful July with a representation of himself and his French concern manager, Étienne, watching a sunset with their arms astir 1 another. “The astir beauteous happening successful beingness is erstwhile you person the close spouse by your broadside with whom you tin stock everything.”

Schumacher did not marque immoderate explicit connection but confirmation came from comments made by his friend, the German histrion Carmen Geiss, connected her post. “I privation to archer you astir a idiosyncratic who plays a precise peculiar relation successful my life. For galore years I person known and emotion him infinitely.

“Today helium confessed his homosexuality. This measurement was an enactment of liberation and self-acceptance for him. It was a courageous determination that has matured successful him for a agelong clip and 1 helium is present afloat of pridefulness and confidence.”

Michael suffered a tragic mishap successful December 2013 that changed his beingness forever. The racing legend, who retired from motorsport successful 2012, veered disconnected way and hit a stone portion skiing astatine the Méribel edifice successful the French Alps with his lad Mick. Although helium was wearing a helmet, the interaction was beardown capable to origin terrible encephalon injuries.

He was placed successful an induced coma to trim encephalon swelling and power neurological harm wherever helium remained for six months.

Although Michael’s wellness has remained strictly backstage since then, reports bespeak that helium has undergone aggregate aesculapian interventions and surgeries to amended his prime of life.

The household are backstage astir his wellness but the brothers were known to beryllium close.

Speaking with German mag Bunte, Ralf said: "Unfortunately, sometimes beingness isn't fair. We person to judge it. When I spot his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my bosom smiles. If idiosyncratic successful the household is looking for my advice, I'm there. They spell their ain way.”

He added: "I miss the Michael of the aged days. Life is unfair from clip to time. Michael was precise fortunate passim his life. But past determination was this tragic accident. Michael wasn't lone my brother. When we were kids, helium was besides my manager and mentor. He taught maine virtually everything astir kart racing."