Will Michael Schumacher ever return to public life?

February 20, 2026 Oliver Obel

There are no plans for Michael Schumacher to return to public life, according to remarks recently published by The Sun citing veteran Formula 1 journalist Craig Scarborough.

Scarborough, who has covered the sport for decades and interviewed Schumacher numerous times during his career, said he had spoken with someone described as “very, very close” to the seven-time world champion. Based on that conversation, Scarborough indicated that Schumacher’s condition is considered stable in the context of his long-term care and that medical support remains ongoing. Any decision to stay out of public view, he suggested, is intentional.

The comments represent one of the few updates to emerge publicly in recent years.

Schumacher, who turned 56 in January, has not appeared in public since suffering a severe head injury in a skiing accident in Méribel, France, on December 29, 2013. The accident occurred during a family holiday and brought an abrupt halt to the public life of one of Formula 1’s most successful drivers.

Since then, his wife Corinna and their two children have tightly controlled information about his health. The family has consistently declined to release detailed medical updates, emphasizing privacy and dignity over public disclosure.

That position has remained consistent for more than a decade, despite sustained global interest in the former Benetton and Ferrari driver.

Over the years, several figures from Schumacher’s career have addressed his condition cautiously, often underscoring their respect for the family’s wishes.

Flavio Briatore, who helped bring Schumacher into Formula 1 at Benetton in the early 1990s, has said in past interviews that he prefers to remember him celebrating victories. Jean Todt, the former Ferrari team principal and a long-time friend, has previously stated that he continues to visit Schumacher and has watched Grands Prix with him on television.

In the 2021 Netflix documentary Schumacher, Corinna Schumacher offered rare insight into the family’s private routine. She described a life centered on therapy, constant support and maintaining the close bond that has defined their family for decades.

Schumacher’s record seven world championships and 91 Grand Prix victories remains one of the sport’s enduring benchmarks. More than ten years after the accident, public updates remain limited, reflecting the family’s continued commitment to keeping his medical situation private.

Sources: The Sun, Schumacher (Netflix documentary, 2021), prior public interviews with Jean Todt and Flavio Briatore.