Willi Weber, the former manager of Michael Schumacher, has accused the German icon’s family of telling him “lies” regarding the seven-time F1 champion’s condition.
Schumacher has not been seen in public since suffering a near-fatal brain injury when skiing in the French resort of Meribel in December 2013.
His condition has been shrouded in secrecy for the past nine years, thanks mainly to wife Corinna, who has vowed to protect his privacy as he recovers at home in Switzerland.
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Drips of information have come out over time — recently former Ferrari boss and Schumacher’s close friend Jean Todt said he’s hopeful the 53-year-old will recover one day — but on the whole the world has been kept in the dark over Schumacher’s health.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport this week, Weber claimed he has been prevented from visiting Schumacher since his harrowing skiing accident.
“I tried hundreds of times to contact Corinna and she didn’t answer,” the 80-year-old said.
“I called Jean Todt to ask him if I should go to the hospital and he told me to wait – it’s too early.
“I called the next day and no one answered. I didn’t expect behaviour like that and I’m still angry about it. They kept me out, telling me it’s too early, well now it’s too late. It’s been nine years. Maybe they should just say it the way it is.
“I could understand the situation initially as I always did everything I could for Michael to protect his private life. But since then we have only heard lies from them.”
Corinna has been fiercely protective of her husband since the accident and revealed how the family — including the couple’s son Mick and daughter Gina — have dealt with the traumatic situation over the past eight years.
“Michael is here. Different, but he’s here, and that gives us strength, I find,” Corinna told Netflix documentary SCHUMACHER.
“We’re together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond.
“And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will.
“We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.
“‘Private is private’, as he always said. It’s very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible.
“Michael always protected us and now we are protecting Michael.”
Speaking at an awards ceremony in Rome last year, Piero Ferrari — the son of Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari vice-chairman of the famous car manufacturer — provided a glimpse into Schumacher’s condition.
“I’m sorry we talk about him today as if he were dead,” he said. “He’s not dead, he’s there but he can’t communicate.”
Piero also spoke briefly about his relationship with Schumacher.
“I had the pleasure of having Schumacher as a guest at home and drinking a bottle of red wine together,” he said.
“He really enjoyed having these moments of intimacy and tranquillity.”
Schumacher’s son, Mick, is now racing in F1 for the Haas team, but he has also made no comment on his father’s condition.
Originally published as Michael Schumacher’s ex-manager fumes at family’s ‘lies’
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