Michael Schumacher’s brother makes ‘unpleasant’ admission about F1 icon

Ralf Schumacher has admitted it was “unpleasant” growing up in the shadow of his brother Michael Schumacher, revealing that he often felt constantly watched and judged because of the Formula One legend’s extraordinary success

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Ralf Schumacher has opened up on his career in the sport

Ralf Schumacher has admitted it was “unpleasant” growing up in the shadow of his brother Michael Schumacher, revealing that he often felt constantly watched and judged because of the Formula One legend’s extraordinary success.

The former racing driver is preparing to marry his partner, Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne, later this month.

The wedding will form part of a new Sky Deutschland documentary, Ralf & Étienne: Wir sagen Ja, which will offer fans a rare glimpse into the couple’s private life.

But Schumacher has acknowledged that public attention was not always something he embraced.

Speaking to Abendzeitung München, the 49-year-old reflected on the challenges of forging his own career while being compared to one of the greatest drivers in motorsport history.

Michael won seven Formula One world championships and remains one of the most successful drivers the sport has ever seen.

Ralf, by contrast, enjoyed a highly respectable career of his own but never reached the same heights

Ralf Schumacher and Michael Schumacher were once teammates and rivals on the F1 grid

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He claimed six Grand Prix victories after making his Formula One debut with Jordan Grand Prix in 1997, before later racing for Williams Grand Prix Engineering and Toyota Racing.

Despite those achievements, he said life in Michael’s orbit came with constant scrutiny.

“You no longer have any privacy,” Schumacher said.