Ralf Schumacher: F1 racer and brother of Michael Schumacher comes out as gay
"The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side," he said when sharing a photo of himself and his partner on social media
By Dale Fox
Ralf Schumacher, a former Formula 1 driver and younger brother of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, has come out as gay.
On Sunday (14 July), the 49-year-old German shared an image on Instagram showing himself arm-in-arm with another man, confirmed to be his partner, Etienne. The caption reads: “The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything.”
Schumacher, who earned six Grand Prix wins during his F1 career with Williams and Toyota, was previously married to Cora Schumacher for 14 years before their divorce in 2015.
“This step was an act of liberation and self-acceptance for him” – German actress Carmen Geiss
German actress Carmen Geiss, a close friend of Schumacher’s, responded to the post with words of support and love for the couple. She later shared her own tribute, praising Schumacher’s courage and honesty in sharing his truth.
“This step was an act of liberation and self-acceptance for him,” Geiss wrote. “It was a courageous decision that has developed in him for a long time and one which he now takes with pride and confidence.”
Schumacher’s previous marriage to Cora lasted from 2001 to 2015. The couple have a son together, David, who was born in 2001. David has followed in his father’s footsteps and is now a racing driver himself.
In her social media post, Carmen Geiss alluded to Schumacher’s relationship with his son, stating: “This wonderful man has an equally wonderful son who means a lot to him and who has been a source of joy and pride for him through many ups and downs.”
“I feel that a gay Formula One driver would help to speed up the elimination of prejudice” Sebastian Vettle in a 2022 Attitude interview
Schumacher’s announcement makes him one of very few openly LGBTQ+ drivers in Formula 1 history. British driver Mike Beuttler, who raced in the early 1970s, is believed to be the only other male F1 driver to have come out as gay.
In a 2022 interview with Attitude, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel expressed his belief that F1 was ready for an out gay driver. He said: “I feel that a gay Formula One driver would help to speed up the elimination of prejudice and help push our sport in a better direction.”