Twelve years after a serious accident
That’s why there is no information about Michael Schumacher
Updated 12/15/2025 – 7:04 amReading time: 3 minutes
Since the devastating accident twelve years ago, nothing is known about Michael Schumacher’s health. A long-time lawyer for the family already explained why. But in 2024 there was suddenly unrest.
It’s been twelve years since Michael Schumacher’s serious skiing accident – on December 29, 2013, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion had an accident in Méribel, France, and sustained life-threatening head injuries. The fate of “Schumi” continues to move fans around the world even more than a decade later.
Nothing is known about the current state of health of the seven-time Formula 1 world champion; the now 55-year-old has been undergoing rehabilitation since the accident in 2013. Relatives and companions only express themselves extremely cautiously and without any details about Schumacher’s current well-being.
“I miss my Michael from back then,” said brother Ralf Schumacher in “Bild” around the tenth anniversary of the accident in 2023. “Life is sometimes unfair. Michael had often been lucky in his life, but then this tragic accident happened. Thank God, thanks to modern medical options, there was a lot that could be done, but still nothing is like it used to be” (read more about this here). One thing is clear: the environment and management continue to pay meticulous attention to protecting the privacy of the sports legend with the full range of the law.
A public blackmail attempt against the Schumacher family caused a stir in 2024: the alleged perpetrators demanded 15 million euros and threatened to publish images and video material. The attempt failed and three people were arrested. Just a few weeks ago, the main defendant was sentenced to a long prison sentence and another person involved was sentenced to a suspended sentence. However, both parties have filed an appeal (you can read more about this here).
“It was always about protecting private matters,” confirmed Felix Damm in an interview with “Legal Tribune Online” in October 2023. Damm has been the Schumacher family’s press lawyer for over 15 years – and also answered the question that many fans have been asking for years: Why isn’t there a single report from the family about Schumacher’s health?
They “also considered whether a final report about Michael’s health could be the right way” in order to effectively curb tabloid reporting. However, this idea was quickly discarded: “That wouldn’t have been the end of it and there would have had to be constantly updated ‘water level reports’. Because as those affected, you don’t have the power to order the media to put an end to it.”