Willi Weber, the former manager of Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher, was the victim of an attack in Stuttgart, as the “Bild” newspaper reports. Unknown people broke into the 83-year-old’s villa on Tuesday evening, tied up Weber and other people present and robbed them.
Weber confirmed the incident to the Bild newspaper and explained that he felt “shitty” and was “completely in shock.” According to his own statements, the perpetrators also injured him: Weber spoke of a “black eye.”
The burglars left their mark in the house: they say that “several safes were broken into and emptied.” However, there are currently no details about the contents of the safes and any sums or items stolen – the police are investigating.
Willi Weber as a manager and businessman
Weber is best known in Germany as Schumacher’s manager: from the end of the 1980s he looked after the later seven-time Formula 1 world champion and, among other things, negotiated his move from Benetton to Ferrari.
Immediately before his Formula 1 comeback with Mercedes in the 2010 season, Schumacher decided to change his management team: Schumacher’s previous media advisor Sabine Kehm took over instead of Weber.
But over the years, Weber didn’t just have Schumacher as a client: he also looked after his brother Ralf Schumacher, Nico Hülkenberg and Timo Scheider, as well as occasionally Naomi Campbell. At the same time, Weber was active as a businessman and traded in used cars. He also owns several hotels and restaurants. For example, he once owned a bar in the Stuttgart television tower.
Weber’s nickname “Mister 20 percent” comes from his collaboration with Michael Schumacher: as a driver manager, he is said to have profited 20 percent of his client’s income in the early years.