The real Michael Schumacher: F1 legend's generosity did not end with his terrible accident

Michael Schumacher

The real Michael Schumacher: F1 legend's generosity did not end with his terrible accident

Schumi was loved by everybody he worked with

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Thursday 4 June 2026 09:50

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On track Michael Schumacher was a hard-nosed racer who would stop at nothing to claim F1 glory, but off it he was a very different animal.

The seven-time world champion became a legend of the sport and a legend of its greatest team Ferrari during an incredible run of success.

Few people, if any, had the innate ability to drive a car fast like Schumacher at his peak. And few had the ability to bring a team together in pursuit of a common goal.

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The stories of Schumacher's drive to win, and his ability to take others along for the ride, have become legendary. And still, 13 years after he was last seen in public, they continue to be told.

Former F1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer and Ferrari and Williams veteran Rob Smedley provided a fascinating insight into the man behind the legend during the latest episode of the High Performance Racing podcast.

Schumacher and a very personal touch

Szafnauer shared a story which shows that Schumacher's generosity of spirit and ties to his team-mates did not end with that terrible skiing accident in France in December 2013.

"He would send birthday cards to everybody on the team and he would prepare those birthday cards in advance - so in December for the whole year. And he'd have a big calendar with all the cards a week before, and his secretary would take them to the mailbox and send them out.

"And after he had his accident, everyone the following year still got the Michael birthday cards."

Schumacher almost embarrassed by his success and wealth

Smedley, who was at Ferrari for some of those glory years, spoke about Schumacher's incredible generosity to those around him.

"He was incredibly generous at the end of every year or whatever. You would get these incredibly generous gifts, watches, just really generous."

Smedley also has a theory about just why Schumacher felt the need to give something back to his team-mates.

Rob Smedley with Felipe Massa during his Ferrari days.

"There was almost a tinge of embarrassment that he was the one who you know, everybody did, senior people especially at Ferrari, did okay right, without getting into territory that I feel uncomfortable about, but he did very well.

"He was on a huge salary. He was on a huge bonus structure. He had massive endorsements from big brands so he was making - as he should do, he's a global superstar - insane amounts of money.

"And there was almost a tinge of uncomfortableness about that for him that he was like 'Yeah I'm making all this and you guys aren't'. And that's my cod psychology on him why he used to be so generous - especially with the people who were closer to him and around him."

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