Michael Schumacher, a seven-time world champion, never left room for friendship on the track on his way to achieving success in F1. However, there was one driver whom he always treated differently- Sebastian Vettel.
Despite being from different generations, the two formed a bond seldom seen in the world of F1. Schumacher was Vettel’s mentor and idol and took it upon himself to help him reach the pinnacle of motorsports. The former Ferrari driver, seeing Vettel grow as a person, had a rather soft corner for him.
While talking about his connection with Vettel, Schumacher once said in an interview,
“I have known Sebastian since he was a little kid and that puts a connection already. Then, he’s just a nice guy. We get off well, we’re friends. This combination is very truthful and special because in this world of ego, that you have to have, it’s difficult to find a relationship like this. Rather special.”
Schumacher has always been ruthless on the track, and never let his rivals get an inch of space. Often known for bullying his opponents into submission on the track, Schumacher even allowed Vettel to pass him comfortably when the latter was fighting for the 2012 World Championship.
Vettel shared a relationship with Schumacher that no other driver in F1 did. Even outside the world of motorsports, they were close friends. Their families met often and went vacationing together on several occasions.
A side of Michael Schumacher that was hidden from the F1 world
Michael Schumacher’s fierce nature on the F1 track has been very well documented. However, there was a side of him that not many saw or experienced, as he always kept it hidden. This was limited only to his side of the garage and was a major reason why everyone loved him.
In the book Michael Schumacher: The Edge of Greatness, an excerpt from the book reads,
“He loves to give presents, loves to make people happy. He cares about people’s birthdays and Christmas, everyone gets a present. It’s a big job. He would think hard about presents for people, he asked me about it a lot, he would be having a massage in his room after driving and I would be sitting there with a notepad writing down a huge list.”
There are also reports of Schumacher being very close to his engineers. He stayed late into the night in the garage with them, keeping them company and talking about different topics. This nature of Schumacher was reserved for a select few and among drivers, no one got as close to him as Vettel did.
