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Michael Schumacher GER, Ferrari F310B 1st place with brother Ralf Schumacher GER, Jordan 197 DNF Formula One World Championship, WM, Weltmeisterschaft Rd 7, Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal, 15th June 1997 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY 97cn050

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Michael Schumacher GER, Ferrari F310B 1st place with brother Ralf Schumacher GER, Jordan 197 DNF Formula One World Championship, WM, Weltmeisterschaft Rd 7, Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal, 15th June 1997 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY 97cn050
Being related to a sport’s greatest legend often comes at a price and Ralf Schumacher knows that, being Michael Schumacher‘s brother. But after leaving the world of F1 behind, it seems like Ralf is now truly enjoying retirement life. With his recent statements, he provides an insight into his different life that might just catch you by surprise.
Ralf Schumacher is a former F1 driver who raced for Jordan, Williams, and Toyota. Whilst fans often debate whether he was a championship contender-level driver, we’ll leave that for you to decide yourself. Certainly, scoring 329 points in the career is not a sign of an average driver. Just saying! But with all that behind now, it seems like he has settled well into quite a slow-paced life, in Slovenia.
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Michael Schumacher’s brother, Ralf Schumacher, reflects on his current peaceful life, post-F1-retirement
One would think an F1 driver who couldn’t fulfill his dream of winning an F1 world championship would want to stay connected to the world of motorsport. Well, not Ralf Schumacher! After helping his son, David Schumacher, who also happens to be a racing driver, he has finally put the life of Fastlane behind.

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HOCKENHEIM, GERMANY – APRIL 29: Michael Schumacher (L) and his brother Ralf pose prior to the first race of the DTM German Touring Car Championship at Hockenheimring on April 29, 2012 in Hockenheim, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images)
In a recent interview with the BUNTE.de, Ralf Schumacher talked about his new life. He stated, “Slovenia is perfect for me. I find peace here. The people here are extremely warm and hospitable; in the evenings we sit together with wine and good food.” From driving F1 cars at a speed of 200 mph+ to sipping wine with his partners, Schumacher seems to enjoy trading the thrill of speed for peace.
He further added, “For me it’s the perfect way to slow down: here I drive tractors instead of fast cars.” Now that’s quite a surprising statement that is usually not expected from a retired F1 driver. Oftentimes time a lot of drivers miss the thrills that they used to get while driving fast. Moreover, with racing running in the Schumacher blood, this is certainly a completely alternative lifestyle to what others anticipated.
However, as they say, to each its own. And especially considering the hardships he had to go through in his life, he more than deserves a quiet and peaceful life. More power to you, Ralf Schumacher!
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Is it common for F1 drivers to turn away from the world of racing?
F1 is a hyper-competitive sport where every mistake could be a driver’s last in it! With such a high-pressure and demanding job, and on top of that, young prospects coming up almost every season, F1 drivers rarely have the longest careers. Granted, there are rare exceptions like Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen, and Fernando Alonso are there! But are quite rare. This is why oftentimes, following their retirements, F1 drivers switch to other forms of racing, such as Endurance Racing, IndyCar Series, etc.

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SOCHI, RUSSIA – SEPTEMBER 26: Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom on September 26, 2019 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
This is why the case of Ralf Schumacher is unique, as it’s uncommon for a driver of his stature and family heritage to simply cut all ties with the sport and live an entirely different life. However, perhaps this serves as a lesson in life, that sometimes we find peace in something that we never expected ourselves to be associated with. Growing up with his brother, he probably might have envisioned racing to be his entire life. But little did the young boy know what an amazing new chapter’s life had in store for him!
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WATCH THIS STORY | Why Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello Wore Red Wigs in 2000
We hope Ralf Schumacher is enjoying his life with his beautiful family and that more F1 drivers find solace away from F1, despite it being an uncommon thing for a motorsport fanatic.
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