Ralf Schumacher says living in the shadow of brother Michael Schumacher’s fame left him feeling constantly “watched” and “judged”, despite now opening up his private life to Sky cameras ahead of his wedding.
Schumacher is set to marry his partner Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne, and Sky Deutschland will be filming the event for a Sky Original documentary – ‘Ralf & Étienne: Wir sagen Ja’ [we say yes].
Ralf Schumacher: ‘And above all, judged. That’s unpleasant’
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
However, the former Toyota driver wasn’t always okay with fame. Especially when it came with a heap of criticism.
Schumacher followed his brother Michael into Formula 1, joining the sport in 1997 with Jordan, the same team that gave his older brother his F1 debut in 1991.
But unlike the elder sibling, Schumacher didn’t have the same success.
While Michael won world titles with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, before stringing together an unprecedented run of five on the trot from 2000 to 2004 with Ferrari to bring his tally to seven, Schumacher managed just six grand prix wins.
He didn’t have the success, or the plaudits, but because he was Michael’s brother, he had to deal with the invasion of his privacy.
He told Abendzeitung München: “I don’t think anyone would have been properly prepared for what happened. It does something to you when you have to get out of your comfort zone.
“You no longer have any privacy. No matter where you are, no matter what you do, you feel watched – and above all, judged.
“That’s unpleasant.”
Even more so, as he was compared to his brother.
More on Michael Schumacher’s F1 legend
F1 facts that sound fake: Schumacher gives Ferrari a fright, record McLaren grid penalty
Jean Todt reveals hidden side of Michael Schumacher
Schumacher’s record of five titles in succession remains unbroken, while his tally of seven overall is only matched by Lewis Hamilton.
It put the spotlight on Schumacher even when he didn’t want it.
“In my case, of course, it was a little more difficult because I had a brother who was extremely successful,” he said. “No, on the contrary: I always wanted to have my peace and quiet.
“You can’t say to someone, ‘Please, I don’t want that today. I’m sitting here in the restaurant with my friends.’ Then it’s like, ‘Is he so arrogant that he can’t even get up and take a picture?’”
The Schumacher brothers made F1 history at the 2001 Canadian Grand Prix when they stood on the podium together, Schumacher having taken the win ahead of his older brother.
They added to the list at the 2001 French GP, the 2002 Brazilian GP, the 2003 Canadian race and the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix. Those remaining four were won by Michael ahead of his sibling.
Schumacher announced earlier this year that he was engaged to Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne.
“We are pleased to confirm that Ralf Schumacher and his partner Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne will be getting married,” the couple’s official joint Instagram read.
“Both are delighted by the many kind congratulations they have received. Ralf and Étienne will not comment on any further personal details and kindly ask that their privacy be respected. Thank you for your understanding.”
The couple, who have been dating since 2022, are to marry in a three-day ceremony in Saint-Tropez, France, in May.
Schumacher had previously been married to Cora Schumacher, the mother of his son David, from 2001 to 2015.
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read next: Hamilton’s Ferrari dream dealt reality check by former Mercedes engineer
