Johnny Herbert Reflects on Michael Schumacher’s Legacy and Mick’s Racing Career: A Heartfelt Tribute

In a touching interview, former F1 driver Johnny Herbert opened up about Michael Schumacher’s family, focusing on the strength of Corinna Schumacher and the impact of Michael’s absence on his son Mick’s racing career. Herbert’s emotional insights paint a vivid picture of a family striving to uphold Michael’s legacy in Formula 1.

Key Takeaways:

• Corinna Schumacher’s Resilience: Johnny Herbert emphasizes Corinna’s commitment to family values and privacy, outlining her role as a pillar of strength in the wake of Michael Schumacher’s accident and in supporting Mick’s racing career.
• Mick Schumacher’s Mentorship Void: Herbert sheds light on the challenges Mick Schumacher faces without his father’s guidance in his Formula 1 journey, highlighting the significant impact of Michael’s absence.
• Michael Schumacher’s Unfulfilled Wish: The interview reveals a poignant aspect of Michael’s legacy, focusing on his missed opportunity to mentor his son in F1, a dream that tragically remained unfulfilled.

In an emotional recollection by Johnny Herbert, a former teammate of Michael Schumacher, the enduring strength and privacy of the Schumacher family following Michael’s tragic skiing accident are vividly brought to life. Corinna Schumacher, Michael’s wife, is portrayed as a central figure in maintaining the family’s dignity and privacy, as they navigate life post-accident.

Herbert reminisces about the past, recalling interactions between his wife and Corinna. These memories paint Corinna as a strong, family-oriented figure, adept at managing the pressures of her life. Herbert’s words about Corinna are telling:

“I knew Corinna a little bit because she used to be with Heinz Harald Frentzen before she met Michael. She has said they are trying to carry on as a family as Michael would have wanted. They are getting on with their lives but private does mean private.”

“Corinna is a lovely lady. She has been around the paddock a long, long time. My wife used to sit around with her and have long chats during our time together in 1995. She is a very family oriented woman who was obviously very strong even at that time, dealing with all the pressures of being the wife of Michael Schumacher then bringing up the kids as well was always a big deal.”

Herbert then delves into Mick Schumacher’s career, reflecting on the loss of mentorship from his father and the pressures of carrying a renowned name. Herbert laments the missed opportunity for Michael to mentor Mick, which would have been invaluable for both. He expresses the profound impact this has had on Mick’s career and character development in Formula 1.

“Mick has said he could always talk to Michael about racing before the accident. And that is one of the saddest things for any sportsman and you get that opportunity, and you have a father who has been so successful, it would have been a very important part of his development at that time.

“But Mick never had that unfortunately. He just had that relationship up until the skiing accident. All the pressures were on Mick’s shoulders just because of the name that he had.

“Michael would have loved the opportunity to work with his son to try and put all his experiences into enabling Mick to be a very different character to what we have seen. Because he was alone in his F1 career.

“Michael would have been a big help and that father son relationship would have been a very beneficial thing for Mick. In other ways it would have been a wonderful experience for Michael to have that deep relationship with his son. Sadly, that was something we didn’t see.

“There’s all the positives of the past knowing what he achieved in F1 and now we just have memories. It would be lovely just to have Michael back now.”

The interview, facilitated by Grosvenor Sport, offers a unique glimpse into the personal and professional realms of the Schumacher family, emphasizing the legacy of Michael Schumacher and the ongoing journey of Mick Schumacher in the world of Formula 1. It serves as a poignant reminder of the personal challenges faced by families behind the scenes of this high-octane sport.