Ralf Schumacher is a driver from Germany. Performs in Formula 1. The brother of the legendary race car driver Michael Schumacher.

early years

Ralph was born in the summer of 1975 in Germany. At an early age, he began to get involved in motorsport. This is partly due to the hobby of his older brother, who was also involved in racing.

As a teenager, he starts karting. It is in this sport that Schumacher gets his first driving skills. He is fond of karting until the age of nineteen, and even then he decides that he will connect his life with racing. The young man understands that karting is not exactly the kind of sport that will allow you to achieve a lot, and then he decides to move to Formula 3. This event took place in 1994. He starts playing for the WTS team. In the first season, as expected, he won nothing. However, in the next one he managed to achieve some success. Ralf Schumacher finished second in the German Formula 3 Championship. The first was Norberto Fontan. Already in the next period, the driver competes in Formula Nippon in Japan and wins this championship.

Main career stage

In 1997, Ralph is firmly entrenched in the "Formula 1". The first team is Jordan from Ireland. He performed quite well, despite his young age. The problem was that the athlete lacked stability to achieve the highest possible results. In the first season, he will only climb the podium once, this will happen in the third race of the season. It is worth noting that he very often stopped races due to accidents.

V next year he is the teammates and the fan base he has earned the nickname. Ralph Schumacher was named Wet Ralph. But this title can be considered respectful, since he was awarded it due to the fact that he managed to cope with the management on a wet track. The nickname will remain with him throughout his career, in a race on the road after the rain, he will bring his team not only the first point, but will also be able to take the final second place. This happened in Belgium.

Schumacher begins the 1999 season with a different team called Williams. He will perform in tandem with Alessandro Zanardi. The young German will be able to outshine the more experienced Italian, who was once considered one of the strongest riders in the CART category.

The first victory in the races will have to wait for a long time. Only in 2001, Ralf Schumacher won the race for the first time in his professional career. In the same season, he will be able to win several more triumphs. Three victories in a season will lead to the fact that the German will become the fourth, and this result at that time will be very good for him.

In the 2002 season, the German will win only one race, and in 2003 he will be able to win several important victories. Perhaps, if he performed more consistently, he could claim first place at the end of the season. But due to frequent accidents and just bad races, Ralph could not achieve this and remained in the shadow of his more stellar brother.

The next period will be unsuccessful both for Schumacher and for the whole team. Despite the fact that in one of the first races he finishes second, serious problems will begin further: all the results of the team will be canceled due to some violations, and the German will have a serious accident and receive injuries, due to which he will have to miss several races. A tragic event will happen on the track in America.

He starts the 2005 season with Toyota and competes with Jarno Trulli, the famous Italian racer. The contract with the Japanese team will be signed for two years. After its end, the parties will not thread the agreement, and the thirty-year-old German will leave the team.

On this his career in Formula 1 will come to an end. The athlete will try himself in races of other categories.

As you can see, Ralf Schumacher won nothing serious. His photos show a very strong resemblance to his older brother.

Career after "F-1"

In 2008, the German decides to move to another racing category. He starts participating in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. In his debut season he will represent the Mücke Motorsport team. The racer will not achieve serious results and will take only fourteenth place at the end of the season, he will have only three credit points.

In 2009 he joins the HWA Team. Again, it does not show anything supernatural and takes eleventh place, in the asset - nine points.

Next season he performs poorly again: fourteenth place and only three points earned.

In the 2011 season, Ralph gave the fans of his team a lot of positive emotions. In two races, he managed to climb the podium. He took second and third places. According to the results of the period, he showed his best result in his career and took the final eighth place.

So the racing career ended for an athlete named Ralf Schumacher. His biography, as you can see, has both ups and downs. Unfortunately, he never managed to achieve serious victories. 2012 turned out to be a completely disastrous year. The racer did not score a single asset in the individual classification and took seventeenth place.

Ralph Schumacher's hobby

The German is a very versatile person. He was never obsessed with one race, unlike his older brother. V free time loves to play tennis and ride a bike.

Despite the fact that a man is a great lover of outdoor activities, sometimes he prefers to stay at home and just play backgammon with someone close to him.

Athlete's personal life

The racer had a long relationship with German Cora Brikmann. The girl worked as a model and also on television. In the fall of 2001, young people officially legalized marriage. Just a few weeks later, the couple appeared to be named David. Ralph and Cora were married for three years, after which they decided to divorce.

The athlete has an older brother who was also a racer. His name is Michael Schumacher and he is a living legend of Formula 1.

Life outside of sports

Many are interested in what Ralf Schumacher was doing besides racing. And the situation is as follows.

After finishing sports career he planned to invest in the sex industry. However, the idea failed. Too many people were interested in this, and the rider decided not to do this business. Despite the rejection of such activities, former athlete got the nickname Porn Ralph.

Schumacher managed to appear in several films.

Summarizing

Despite their dubious sports achivments, the man will forever go down in racing history. It has more to do with his brother than with him directly. Sadly, when they remember the name Schumacher, Michael is always mentioned first. Alas, it often happens, the fact that the brothers are very similar in appearance gives a special piquancy to this fact.

Today Ralf Schumacher is a director of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, for which he once stood.

Almost my entire career Ralf Schumacher tried to overtake his brother's shadow and make his own name. But the better Ralph did, the more often he was compared to Michael... Kart got behind the wheel before Michael! Won the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix - just like Michael! Debuts in the Grand Prix with Eddie Jordan- like Michael!

In the end, Michael Schumacher became the most successful Formula 1 driver, while Ralph was unceremoniously thrown out of Toyota into the dustbin of history. Nevertheless, for five years in a row, Schumacher Jr. was one of the six best pilots in Formula 1 and won the Grand Prix six times - more than Keke Rosberg or Bruce McLaren.

Ralph ended his motorsport career two and a half years ago. Now he spends almost all his free time at the bedside of his brother fighting for a full life and, if possible, helps Mercedes with young pilots. Today Ralf Schumacher turns 40 years old, and in honor of this date, the "Championship" recalls his path in Formula 1.

Schumacher Jr. What can you expect from him?

Michael Schumacher's son Mick won the race on his debut weekend in Formulas. What are the real prospects for the son of the seven-time world champion?

Debutant with a name

“I would be disappointed if Nigel faster than me, - said Ralph after Jordan's tests in Barcelona. - If I were left behind, it would not be worthwhile to meddle in Formula-1 ”. Eddie Jordan signed with Ralph Schumacher in August 1996. Evil tongues claimed that the guy got the job solely thanks to the money of German brewers and a sonorous surname. Few people noticed that Ralph is leading in Formula Nippon in his debut season.

Jordan hadn't been able to decide on a partner for his new pilot for several months. He invited Nigel Mansell to Barcelona, ​​but Big Nige, who had lost shape, lost three quarters of a second to the debutant and did not get involved in the Grand Prix race anymore.

Schumacher obeyed the order, Hill won the race, but this episode spoiled the relationship between Ralph and Eddie.

Schumacher himself wanted to perform with the experienced Brandl. In Formula Nippon, his partner was a veteran Naoki Hattori, and working with him largely predetermined a quick adaptation to completely unfamiliar tracks.

One way or another, Jordan chose another newcomer to pair with Ralph - Giancarlo Fisichella... This, however, did not prevent Schumacher Jr. from finishing in third place in his third race. True, the German had to wait almost a year and a half for the next podium. In his debut season, he was regularly let down by technology, but he himself sometimes made gross miscalculations - in the rain in Monaco, Schumacher crashed a car when he was third, and in Monza he got into an accident at a speed of 300 km / h.

The next season was supposed to get better, but the 1998 chassis turned out to be uncompetitive, and only urgently discharged Mike Gascoigne was able to correct the flaws of the machine. The first points in that season, "Jordan" scored only at the ninth stage of the season, but after a month and a half the team was waiting for a real gift of fate.

A heavy downpour went to the Belgian Grand Prix. The pilots who escaped the starting blockage during a chaotic race flew out one after another, then Schumacher Sr. crashed into a circular Coulthard, and at some point Eddie Jordan's cars took the first two positions: Damon Hill was the first, followed by Ralph. In difficult weather conditions, to exclude any risk, Jordan forbade the racers to fight among themselves - Eddie did not want to risk his first victory in Formula 1.

Schumacher obeyed the order, Hill won the race, but this episode spoiled the relationship between Ralph and Eddie. The parties terminated the three-year contract, and Schumacher Jr. left for Williams.

In Sir Frank's Barracks

The new stage of his career began with the podium in Australia. Ralph quickly became the leader of the team, and while Zanardi tried in vain to adapt to the Formula 1 car, Schumacher actually pulled Williams alone.

By the next season, BMW was backed up in Grove, and Ralph won three more podiums last season in addition to three podiums. At the end of the 2000 season, Schumacher Jr. finished fifth in the championship.

And in 2001 he came to Williams Juan Pablo Montoya... The Colombian immediately drove quickly and overshadowed his partner with his crazy piloting style. Montoya, however, could not boast of stability. Ralph was more reliable than the Colombian and had previously celebrated his first victory at the San Marino Grand Prix. Later, Schumacher Jr. won in Canada and Great Britain, while Montoya won in Italy. At the end of the championship, Ralph rose to fourth place, losing only to the Ferrari drivers and David Coulthard... Montoya was sixth. And although in 2002 the advantage of Scuderia was so great that Williams managed to win only once, ambitions in Grove continued to grow.

BMW engines were the most powerful on the starting grid, in an attempt to catch up with Ferrari, engineers were actively experimenting with aerodynamics. The 2003 season Ralph, despite missing the tests, started very confidently - he scored points in almost every race, and although at first he looked a little slower than Montoya, outright outplayed his team-mate in the middle of the season. The German finished second in Canada, and then won two victories in a row - at the Nurburgring and Magny-Cours. After 10 races, Schumacher came in third in the championship, with only three points left between Ferrari and Williams.

Both Williams' pilots performed at the same level, but were so different that maintaining both equally proved to be problematic.

It was the high point of Ralf Schumacher's career in Formula 1. He found own style, was stable and made fewer and fewer mistakes. In general, both Williams' pilots performed at the same level, but were so different that it was problematic to maintain both equally. In Grove then Montoya was preferred, but Ralph did not give up and continued to fight.

And this struggle almost cost Schumacher his life. In September 2003, Ralph nearly crashed on tests in Monza and suffered a concussion. A year later, at the US Grand Prix, he again got into trouble - already in 2004, Michelin had problems at Indianapolis, and after a tire puncture, Ralph flew into the wall at a speed of 300 km / h. He was again diagnosed with a concussion, but this time with fractures of two vertebrae.

Incompatible with Europe. Why Montoya did not submit to Formula 1

14 years ago, Montoya was close to the first - and very bright - victory in the F-1 Grand Prix. Remember what went wrong with the Colombian.

Return to Japan

In July, not yet recovered from his injuries, Ralph signed a three-year contract with Toyota. "He has already proven that he is a very fast pilot," the team leader said at the time. Tsutomu Tomita... "His rich experience will also be a big plus for our team." By that time, Ralph had already had 125 Grand Prix and six victories on his account.

Schumacher was looking for a new challenge. After seven and a half years in Formula 1, he was no longer interested in just steering a car. “I would like to be more involved in the development of the chassis, to be more involved in all the processes of the team,” said Ralph. Evil tongues spoke: the change of team took place for the sake of a serious increase in wages. In any case, returning to Japan, where he won his main career title in 1996, the German was filled with hope.

However, they were not destined to come true. At first, the relationship between Schumacher and Toyota was excellent - Ralph finished third in Hungary and China, and together with Jarno Trulli pulled the Japanese into fourth place in the Constructors' Cup. But then Toyota's progress stalled. The huge budget was eaten away by bureaucratic delays within the Japanese concern, and the clumsy management structure reacted belatedly.

In 2006, Toyota dropped to sixth place in the Constructors' Cup, taking only one podium - Ralph finished third in Australia. The next year, the team was no longer up to the podiums, and Schumacher began to lose motivation. Publicly, the team's leadership supported both of their pilots, but dissatisfaction with the German grew - against the background of Jarno Trulli, Ralph's results looked faded. "Toyota" the German cost a million dollars for the Grand Prix, and in the fall of 2007 the Japanese decided not to renew the contract with him.

After leaving Toyota, Schumacher tried to negotiate with Toro Rosso, but Faenza chose the four-time ChampCar champion Sebastien Burdet... Later, when it became clear that Fernando Alonso leaves Woking, Schumacher offered his services to McLaren, but Ron Dennis they weren't useful.

Thus, the most important role in the career of Schumacher Jr. did not play Willie Weber and not his last name, but the Land of the Rising Sun. It was in Japan that Ralph drew attention to himself when, in his debut season, he became the youngest champion in Formula Nippon history and was able to sign a contract with Eddie Jordan. And it was with the Japanese team that he ruined his reputation as a driver by failing to pull himself together and beat Jarno Trulli.

The surname became almost Ralph's curse. While Michael was churning out victory after victory in the team gathered around him, his brother had to defend his interests in almost every team. The 2001 Canadian Grand Prix was remembered by many not for the victory of Ralph, but for the "double of the Schumachers". After each success, he was compared to his older brother, a comparison with which no pilot would have stood in the early 2000s.

After each success, he was compared to his older brother, a comparison with whom no pilot could have stood in the early 2000s.

In the end, Ralph moved to the DTM series, but was there among those ex-Grand Prix drivers who failed to adapt to the bodywork technique. In 2009, on the eve of his debut in Formula 1, Schumacher was rumored to be invited by such teams as Hispania, Virginia and Lotus. Tony Fernandez, but he wisely refused.

Finally, after five seasons in the DTM, in March 2013, Ralph announced the end of his racing career. “In recent weeks, I thought a lot about my future and came to the conclusion that I can bring more use in a managerial position, not driving a car. I am immensely grateful for over 20 years. professional career racing driver and for the last five years in the DTM with the Mercedes brand, - said the German in his farewell message. "Mercedes has many young and talented future stars, and I am glad to assist in their development."

In other people's words. Rivals and friends - about Michael Schumacher

On the birthday of Michael Schumacher, we collected statements about the great German from racers, engineers, team leaders and top officials of Formula 1.

Ralf Schumacher took his first steps towards motorsport at the age of 3, having sat behind the wheel of a kart for the first time. But, despite such an early start, Ralph's path to Formula 1 was a thorny one. For several years in karting, the most striking victories were the title in the German junior championship and the second place in the more adult, but, again, local, German championship. The transition to the formula class, it seems, brought both victories and podiums, but not titles. For two years in "Formula-BMW" the best was the 2nd place in the championship in 1993, and in the German "Formula-3" both seasons (1994 and 1995) also did not bring the coveted trophy. In general, Ralph could win races, but not championships.

For the victorious title, Willie Weber, at that moment the manager of both Schumacher brothers, sent Ralph to Japan, to the Formula Nippon (Super Formula) championship, an analogue of the European Formula 3, which meant that the technique itself was close to the already very familiar Ralph ... And the title has finally arrived. Traditionally, foreign racers who came to the Japanese championship in those years participated in the All-Japan GT Championship. Ralf Schumacher, who won 3 out of 4 races and became the silver medalist of the championship, was no exception.

Now, with the title behind him, it was possible to set off to conquer Formula 1. And Ralph had to make his debut in "Jordan", the team in which Michael also made his debut. I must say that this is far from the first and not the last comparison with his brother from those that pursued Ralph his entire racing career and, perhaps, did not allow him to fully reveal himself. But first things first.

The first stage of his career in Formula 1, the Jordan stage, took 2 years. In the first season, Ralph's partner was the slightly more experienced (for 1 year) Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, and for the 1998 season - the world champion, Briton Damon Hill. Both times, Ralph lost to his teammates in terms of the number of points scored during the season, but it cannot be said that he performed less brightly. Already in the third Grand Prix for the team, he came to the podium, taking 3rd place in Argentina, and the next year he made his way to the top three twice more. By the middle of 1998, it became clear that Ralph should go further, and Willie Weber suits him at Williams.

The 1999 season was not the best for Williams, which had recently been a champion team, which by that time was left without serious minder support: partners from 1989 to 1997, Renault, decided to leave the Grand Prix, and Williams had to use 1997 engines under the Mecachrome (1998) and Supertec (1999) brands. And a complete change in the composition of the pilots could not become strong point team, because Ralph's partner was an experienced Italian, Alessandro Zanardi, who was out of Formula 1 for 4 years. However, Ralf Schumacher was able to prove himself with the best side, and especially against the background of an unsuccessful team-mate, finishing with glasses 11 times in 16 races, including 3 times on the podium position, including in the very first race, at the 1999 Australian Grand Prix.

When it became known that, since 2000, Williams will partner with BMW as an engine supplier for the coming years, Ralph's position in the negotiations for a future contract was stronger than ever. This certainly added confidence to Ralf Schumacher. Moreover, for the next two years his partners were, albeit fast, but inexperienced debutants Jenson Button and Juan Pablo Montoya. True, the speed of the latter ultimately affected the German negatively.

The intra-team struggle between Ralph Schumacher and Juan-Pablo Montoya in the period from 2001 to 2004 became one of the brightest in the history of Formula 1. Both riders were fast in Williams-BMWs, both climbed to the podium and won several races, but three losses at the end of the season, apparently, shattered Ralph's self-confidence. It cannot be said that he lost his speed, but he also stopped progressing. Unlike the Colombian partner.

The union of Ralph and Williams began to gradually disintegrate, and by 2005 Schumacher Jr. moved to Toyota, a team not only ready to make him number one, but also ready to pay a huge salary. In both 2005 and 2006, Ralph overtook team-mate Jarno Trulli at the end of the season, but it cannot be said that his performances were bright. It was at this time in the press that thoughts began to appear more and more often that Ralf Schumacher was more interested in money, that he was paid at Toyota, rather than direct results on the track. And the incessant comparisons with his older brother, who by that time had already become a 7-time world champion, did not add peace of mind to Ralph.

After an unsuccessful 2007 season for the team, the parties mutually decide to end the relationship, and Ralph tries to get a job in different teams Formula 1. There were negotiations with both McLaren and Toro Rosso, but only Force India reached something more or less concrete. Ralph even took part in the December tests while driving the car of this newly formed team, but even then the parties did not come to an agreement. It was from this point that the last, at the moment, round of Ralf Schumacher's career began - the DTM stage. Of the 5 full seasons (from 2008 to 2012), the German can add to his asset, perhaps, only the season of 2011, when he had 2 podiums on his account, bodywork was fully reflected in Ralf Schumacher.

Several more times he was associated with a possible return to Formula 1 with one or another new team, but each time it did not go beyond rumors.

The German had a contract for 2013, but Ralf decided to end his racing career after his older brother. His place in the DTM was taken by Pascal Wehrlein. Wehrlein will eventually win this championship and move to Formula 1, but his career there will be short-lived.

The younger brother similarly said goodbye to Formula 1 - after the older one left. Brother for brother.

A few days ago he turned 43 years old. Now it is the turn of his son David Schumacher.

"To be honest, I did not expect such agility from my son - I did not think that he would win so quickly."

David: “I definitely want to be in Formula 1. I would like to compete in F-1 with my cousin Mick. "

David admitted that he already feels the burden of the famous surname. “The expectations are simply higher, especially considering that my cousin Mick is already very fast. For this reason, I chased the first few years under my mother's last name, Brinkman, wanted to reduce the pressure from the media. Obviously, I have two idols: my father and, of course, my uncle Michael, simply because he is the most successful racer of all time. But my father was also very good. "

This year David competes in the German Formula 4 and is ranked 9th with 46 points. Frankly speaking, he does not perform very well. Not a single podium. But the third place in the championship is the grandson of Emerson Fittipaldi - Enzo Fittipaldi.

Ralph himself is a versatile personality. He was never obsessed with one race, unlike his older brother. In her free time she loves to play tennis and ride a bike.

Despite the fact that a man is a great lover of outdoor activities, sometimes he prefers to stay at home and just play backgammon with someone close to him.

In 2015, Schumacher divorced his wife. According to journalists, Cora received six million euros in compensation. Schumacher's lawyer did not comment on this information, only confirming the fact of the divorce. Note that Ralph and model Caroline Brinkman got married on October 5, 2001, and on October 23 they had a son, David.

Excerpts from the book about Michael Schumacher

Constant comparisons with him just annoy me. I'm tired of hearing this. I never felt like I was in Michael's shadow. I'm just his little brother. Michael goes his own way, and I go my own.

Ralf Schumacher is a completely different person from his brother. He is six years younger, his childhood was not as tough financially as Michael's. The brothers' personalities appear to have been shaped by different conditions; In simple terms, Michael had the courage of a man who made himself, and Ralph had a calmer and more confident approach of the second child in the family, to whom everyone was brought on a silver platter. This was reflected in their driving - Michael always made every effort, trying to attract circumstances, while Ralph depended on the car and, if it turned out to be imperfect, went into the shadows. Michael was very ambitious, Ralph was more inclined to wait for everything to come by itself; Michael rarely rested, Ralph much more.

With the arrival of Ralph in Formula 1 in 1997, Michael had a very important ally. He never managed to get along easily with the rest of the riders, and he managed to offend a few, so he had few friends on the starting field. Ralph also hardly cared about the company of his colleagues, so the brothers found the coveted company in each other. They were often seen together, they visited each other in motorhomes, and rested together. In the evenings on race days, we often dined together. At the very beginning, they made a pact that they would not discuss the internal affairs of their teams. This took on special significance when Ralph climbed the starting field in the early 2000s. V last years, after Ralph got married, the brothers began to be seen less often - a chill ran between them. According to acquaintances, this was largely due to the differences in the views of their wives.

Friends of the Schumacher family say that Michael was more in touch with his father, Rolf, many of whose qualities he inherited, while Ralph was always closer to his mother, Elizabeth, who died in 2003.

Michael says:

“Ralph was born when I was six and a half years old, but I do not remember that he somehow interfered with me. Later, however, the age difference became a problem for us. When he was about five years old, he wanted to do the same as me, but refused to take any responsibility. I had to sweep the track, and Ralph managed to evaporate just when something needed to be done. We fought a lot about this. When we were alone at home, I looked after him, but he did not always listen to me. Our parents treated us differently. But they were fair - just our life had changed by the time Ralph was born. It was more money, more possibilities. I did not envy him, I was not jealous. I just sometimes thought that everything was easier for him. He had more toys, and they were easier for him to get. "

The Schumacher brothers are very different. Michael is professional and patient with the press and public. He senses a trap or a provocative question a mile away and manages to direct the conversation in the direction he needs. Ralph can be very evasive, he often avoids answering questions or starts an argument straight away. But he is smart, like his brother, and has a great sense of humor, which has become quite specific over the years working with UK teams. He speaks English better and freer than Michael.

Michael was very worried about his brother when he started competing in Formula 1. He had seen a lot over the years of his career in this sport and was afraid that his brother might get into an accident. In 1997 in Brazil, Ralph's second race, Michael was thrilled. “The track is bumpy and difficult, and I felt uncomfortable when I watched Ralph in the race,” he said. "His car was very unstable, he could have gotten into a major accident."

Over time, Michael began to take it easier. But in Indianapolis in 2004, his worst nightmare turned into reality when Ralph had a terrible race accident, crashing into a concrete wall at 290 km / h. The wreckage of the car scattered along the highway. Ralph took the hit, the G-forces reached 70 G. He was unconscious. The racing director sent a safety car to the track, and Michael, who was leading the race, was forced to drive past his brother round and round before he was removed from the cockpit and sent to the medical center. The incident must have inspired memories of the Haymarket accident. Michael admitted this after the race. “The worst thing was to see him there,” he said. - I was told on the radio that everything is not so bad. But I've heard it in the past, and then it turned out to be really bad. "

For several weeks after Indianapolis, Michael reacted very sharply to criticism - he allegedly behaved soullessly, continuing the race when his brother was in this state. Evil tongues informed him that I said something similar in my commentary on television, which is very, very far from the truth. Then I found myself in a curious position - I had to convince Michael that you should not believe everything you are told!

The brothers, of course, collided on the track. The collision at the Nurburgring in Ralph's first season cost Michael valuable points in his title fight against Jacques Villeneuve. Michael was ready to apply the same intimidation tactics to Ralph as he did to the rest of his opponents. It always seemed odd that he could "run over" his own brother, but judging by fairness, what else could he do? If his brother prevented him from winning, Michael had no choice.

The two brothers were united in their grief during the 2003 San Marino Grand Prix. On the eve of the race, their mother, Elizabeth, passed away. She was only fifty-three years old, but she had been ill for a long time and the last days spent in a coma. Until the weekend, Michael and Ralph were at her bedside, they flew to Imola directly from there, but Michael did not want the German press to know about it. He did not want to publicize this difficult moment for the whole family. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep it a secret - Elizabeth's condition worsened, and the news of her death on Sunday night was leaked to the media.

After qualifying on Saturday afternoon, Michael and Ralf flew back to Cologne. They returned the next morning, and Michael, trying to hide his emotions, went out on the track and won the race. On the podium, he could not hold back his tears, and when the German anthem was playing, he looked up into the sky. It was a very personal grief, this kind of emotion Michael always tried not to show. The brothers were with their mother all week, and her death was not shockingly sudden, as it seemed to the public that day. They said goodbye to her before leaving for Imola. Nevertheless, those who knew Michael well and worked closely with him claim that the German was in a state of nervous breakdown all weekend. Sabina Whom says:

“He was very laconic, even dry that weekend. He did what was required of him, and nothing more. Before Saturday, when he was not driving or participating in discussions, he called the hospital all the time. When he returned on Sunday morning, everyone saw how hard it was for him. But the question was never raised that he would not sit behind the wheel. Elizabeth raised her children on the kart track, she was part of it all, and it would be strange if Michael did not come to the start of the race. The brothers felt that they had a duty to do this, life had to go on. And for Michael, the cockpit was the only place where he could be alone with himself. This is his environment. He really wanted to get into the car. The problem for him was getting out of the motorhome. He just didn't want to go out and cry in front of all these people. So he stayed in his room with Corinne. "

Elizabeth parted ways with Rolf in 1997. Rolf found himself another woman, Barbara, with whom he periodically came to the races - once or twice a year. Elizabeth lived alone in an old house on the Kerpen karting track. She raised her children in this house, but there were changes in the family's financial situation - gates, security systems, cameras and guard dogs. Elizabeth was rarely seen in public and she hardly spoke to reporters, but in June 2001 she condescended to be interviewed by the popular German magazine Bunte, two days after the Canadian Grand Prix, when Ralph and Michael went down in history as two brothers who took first and second place on the podium. She said that she does not see her grandchildren as often as she would like, because she is afraid to fly, but "Michael regularly sends pictures." She never spoke to her sons after that weekend.

“I watch all the races. Then I was alone. A friend called me to complain, because she bet on Michael, and Ralph won. I immediately realized that he is faster than Michael. But he does not let anyone through. I never worry about them chasing. Both know what they are doing. I'm sure they won't endanger each other once again. Sometimes I cry with joy after another victory - but only when I'm alone. I always hope that they will be safe and sound. Both my sons do not want to give up and leave the sport, especially Michael - he is so ambitious. "

During that interview, the German press was excited about Ralph and Cora's upcoming wedding in Salzburg, near where Ralph lives. His mother's commentary is probably the most interesting part of the interview.

“Nobody talked to me about marriage. I only know about it from newspapers and television. I watch all the programs, listen to what Michael and Ralph have to say. Ralph will no doubt tell me about it at the right time. "

When asked if she was sad that she saw her boys so rarely, she said: “They have a lot to do. Races, preparation, meetings. We're on the phone. " Elizabeth died of a stroke at 55.

Ralf Schumacher is not only the younger brother of the world famous racer... He is a sociable and cheerful person who is in business and tries to diversify.

How it all began

In 1975, the youngest son, Ralf Schumacher, was born in the family of Elisabeth and Rolf, whose family lived in the German city of Hürth-Hermünheim. The boy's father worked as a bricklayer. He built beautiful houses... Mom was a waitress, but with the birth of her second child, she began to devote all her free time to her sons.

From birth, Ralph was closely associated with his brother Michael. He tried to imitate him in everything. And when the elder Schumacher started karting, the younger brother wished the same.

Already at the age of 3, Ralph began to ride on the track of the neighboring town of Kerpen. Michael supported his brother in every possible way, gave him driving advice. But even then, Ralf Schumacher was distinguished by an eccentric character and did not want to listen to anyone.

The parents of the future racers divorced in 1997. My father went to another woman, and my mother stayed to live in the old house right at the karting track.

Elizabeth was ill for a long time and died in 2003 in a hospital in Cologne.

First successes in auto racing

At the age of 19, Ralph began to participate in Formula 3 racing. A year later, he was already second in the individual championship.

At the same time, a young German and his brother are driving through the streets of Macau. Here Ralph was waiting for the first serious success - he bypassed many venerable rivals and even Michael.

In 1996, Shummi Jr. took part in the Japanese version of Formula 1.



Royal races

Ralph becomes a professional racer in 1997. Participation for the Jordan team brought Shummy Jr. victory at Silverstone and second place in the Belgian Grand Prix. It is noteworthy that both times the weather conditions were not the best.

The transfer to the Williams team in 1999 was justified. In the new "stable" the German became the winner in San Marino. He won two more races. As a result, he took fourth place in the individual competition.

2004 became a black streak not only in the German career. The entire "stable" experienced difficulties. At the Canadian stage, the younger Schumacher managed to come to the finish line second. But the result was canceled due to violation of technical regulations. The race in America was generally unsuccessful - the guy had a serious accident and missed the remaining stages.

In 2005, the German signed a contract with the Toyota team for 2 years. During this period, it was not possible to win at least one of the stages. On October 1, 2007, Shummi Jr. announced his retirement from Formula 1.

Ralf Schumacher spent several more seasons in the DTM racing series for the Mercedes team. In 2013, he retired from his racing career.



After retiring from sports

Schumacher Jr. continued his activities in the world of motorsport as the manager of the team that took part in the competition of cars with a body.

In addition, Ralph was the official consultant for Mercedes Benz.

The enterprising German decided to invest in a profitable business. One million euros - exactly the same amount of investments made by Ralph in a chain of stores of intimate goods. In addition to trading floors in Slovenia, the business also operated in other European countries. Of the 200 stores, 80 are located in Germany.

The German's commercial flair did not disappoint. The company became the first in the production and sale of intimate goods, and Ralph is receiving very good dividends.

Personal life

Ralf Schumacher, whose personal life was always discussed with a lot of details, was considered a womanizer. His photo literally did not leave the pages of scandalous newspapers. All the more surprising for everyone was the news that a desperate German was getting married and would soon become a father.



His wife-to-be, Cora Brinkmann, worked as a public relations assistant for a large company. They had known Ralph for several years, but the romance began suddenly and violently, like their whole subsequent life together.

The couple legalized the relationship in 2001, and after 18 days they had a son, David. The name for the child was chosen for a long time, journalists put forward a lot of options, after whom the child was named. Ralph himself said that his wife just liked the name.

The Schumachers got married a year after the painting. At this event, Michael was his brother's best man, all relatives and friends were present. Ralph's fans and a crowd of journalists gathered in the square in front of the church.

All 13 years of marriage have been challenging for both parties. Ralph's explosive nature and Cora's stubbornness caused a lot of scandals. A couple of times the neighbors even had to call the police.

As a result, in 2015, Ralf Schumacher divorced his wife. Cora received 6 million euros out of 100 that belong to Ralph. The woman also received real estate in Bergheim and custody of her 13-year-old son.

Ralph and Michael

Ralf Schumacher, whose photo can be seen on the covers of many publications, is distinguished by openness. His famous brother Michael always tried to keep a low profile with the press and hid the details of his personal life from journalists.



From childhood, the brothers were very different. Little Ralph got everything almost without difficulty, while Michael was born in difficult times for the family.

Rivalry on racing tracks was in favor of Shummy the elder and Ralph was always in the shadow of the champion. This upset him very much, but he strove to be the first in other areas of life.

So, the younger Schumacher, whose fortune is 7 times less than that of Michael, bought a house in Austria more than that of his brother in Switzerland. A private jet and yacht are also more expensive for the younger Ralph.

The brothers' wives, Cora and Karinna, were very different and did not get along with each other. The spectacular Cora often reproached her sister-in-law for her excessive devotion to her family. Because of this, disagreements also arose between their husbands.

But no matter what the relationship was between them, when Michael had a misfortune while skiing, Ralph did his best to help his brother and his family.

Ralph and Cora's wedding was almost a secret. Neither the groom's parents nor his brother were present at it. In order to avoid the attention of the press, Ralph ordered a lavish banquet at the Salzburg Palace, and the event was celebrated in a close circle in Hallwang.

Cora's ex-wife was also a race car driver. She competed in the Mini Challenge series and fought alongside the men.

Ralph's son, David, followed in his father's footsteps and is already competing in the junior karting championship. And Mick's nephew has been participating in the German Formula 4 since 2015.

Even in her marriage, Cora told reporters that her husband did not know how to park. "Something constantly happens to him when leaving or entering the parking lot," said Frau Schumacher.



Ralf Schumacher is so cocky and explosive, but at the same time kind and sympathetic. His biography is replete with ups and downs, both in sports and in his personal life. But the always smiling Ralph at 42 looks great and tries to live on with future victories and achievements.