Michael Schumacher is regarded as one of F1’s greatest ever drivers but has led a very private life following his skiing accident in 2013
Michael Schumacher is an F1 legend(Image: Nachrichten TV)
The final interview conducted by Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher before his tragic skiing accident has surfaced. In the October 2013 conversation, the German superstar discussed his illustrious career.
Since his accident in the French Alps in December of the same year, Schumacher has led a very private life. During his career, he steered Ferrari to five titles.
The Prancing Horse hadn’t won the F1 drivers’ title since Jody Scheckter in 1979, until Schumacher fended off Mika Hakkinen’s challenge to secure the Scuderia’s first title in over two decades in Japan in 2000.
In his last interview before the accident, the Ferrari icon, now 56, reflected on his most cherished world title. Schumacher clinched seven championships during his time on the circuit.
“The most emotional one, definitely, was Suzuka in 2000 with Ferrari,” he said. “Twenty-one years no championship for Ferrari. Four years for myself, failing to achieve it. And finally, Suzuka 2000, winning the race, in an exceptional race and winning the great championship.”
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However, Ferrari’s issues have resurfaced, with their last title dating back to 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen. It appears that the challenges Schumacher faced at the Italian constructors pre-2000 are now confronting current Ferrari stars Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, making his interview seem particularly prescient, reports the Express.
The team are now on the brink of 18 years without a drivers’ championship and 17 years without a constructors title. Despite having top-tier drivers like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari have yet to break their dry spell.
When Hamilton joined Ferrari in 2025, he was optimistic about their chances of reaching the pinnacle of the sport once more.
Michael Schumacher won the title in 2000(Image: Getty)
“The team have had amazing drivers – Kimi, Fernando, Sebastian – and yet they didn’t win a title with Ferrari,” he said. “I refuse for that to be the case with me, that’s why I am going the extra mile.
“If you take the same path, you get the same results. I’m here to win. It’s crunch time for me and I truly believe in the potential of this team, I believe they can win multiple championships moving forward. That’s my sole goal.”
However, this season has not been smooth sailing. Leclerc has confessed that he and Hamilton are finding it difficult to handle the car “massively”.
A disappointing weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix saw the Monegasque star finish sixth while the Brit could only secure eighth place. “It’s tough, it’s very tough. We are not strong at the moment and we are struggling massively with the car. It’s not easy,” admitted Leclerc.
“I wish I could say that I’m positive for the rest of the season, I don’t think there’s anything in the car that proves to me that we are going to do a step forward.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have struggled this season(Image: Getty)
He continued: “I think this is the reality of our situation at the moment. I don’t quite know how to turn that situation around because we don’t have new parts or anything coming to the car.
“Hamilton added: “I feel pain for all the team from catering to marketing, to the guys in the garage and engineers who show up every weekend, and they really do give absolutely everything but the car we have is unfortunately not of the level of the guys ahead of us.”
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has also voiced his frustration with the squad’s performance in Singapore. “For the team, it’s mega frustrating,” he said. “The team and drivers are for all of us, because we are not pushing [because of the brakes].
“At the end of the day, we are putting so much effort to be there, that when you have to do all the races on the backfoot, it’s not good.”
The upcoming Grand Prix takes place in the United States on October 19. Leclerc claimed victory for Ferrari at the Circuit of Americas in 2024.
The Scuderia will now be hoping he can deliver another stellar performance, with Leclerc and Hamilton sitting fifth and sixth in the drivers’ standings whilst Ferrari occupy third spot in the constructors’ championship table.
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