On Sunday, former Formula 1 star Ralf Schumacher publicly revealed his relationship with a man. Now, he explains why this was the right time.
Key Points
- Ralf Schumacher came out on Instagram on Sunday.
- Why now? The ex-racing driver reveals his reasons.
- A significant achievement by his son inspired him to do so.
Ralf Schumacher (49) has publicly acknowledged his relationship with his partner Etienne (34). The former racing driver shared a photo of himself and his partner on Instagram for the first time on Sunday.
As the younger brother of Michael Schumacher now reveals, he did not choose this day randomly for his coming out. His son David (22) had just celebrated his victory at the ADAC GT Masters at the Nürburgring a few hours earlier.
Why Now?
“My son David repeated his victory at the GT Masters on Sunday from the previous day. It was the biggest success of his motorsport career so far. I thought it was a good occasion,” Ralf Schumacher told “Sport1.”
David Schumacher’s win at the Nürburgring was not only important for his own career. It also made family history, as his father had triumphed at the same venue in Formula 1 back in 2003. The euphoria seems to have inspired Ralf Schumacher to share his happiness.
Family Knew About Ralf Schumacher’s Sexuality
As the former racing driver further revealed, this step had been planned for a long time.
“For family and close friends, it was not news; they had known for a long time. However, a lot of people were involved by now. Therefore, I wanted to share the news myself,” said Ralf Schumacher.
The ex-Formula 1 pro was married to Cora Schumacher (47) from 2001 to 2015. The erotic model recently made headlines with her participation in the jungle camp, where she also talked about the failed marriage with Ralf.
“I married him out of love. I’m not so sure about him,” she said at the time. Many fans now suspect that Cora was subtly referring to her ex-husband’s sexuality.
She further explained on the TV show: “I can’t talk about some things. It’s just not worth it to me anymore. My son means everything to me, but the rest doesn’t. There’s no point in discussing it publicly.”
Positive Reactions to the Couple
Ralf Schumacher’s coming-out post has already garnered nearly 30,000 comments. Carmen Geiss, a longtime friend of Schumacher, wrote that she was glad to be part of their love story. She said she “loves Etienne deeply.”
Ex-tennis star Boris Becker (56) also commented on the post. “I’m happy for you, Ralf!” he wrote.
Despite the public announcement, a family spokesperson emphasized on Monday that privacy remains a top priority.
“For Ralf’s family, private life has the highest priority and remains a personal matter. Neither his partner Etienne, nor Ralf and his son David, will comment further beyond what has been said. We ask that everyone’s privacy continues to be respected.”
