Willi Weber, the former manager of Michael Schumacher, has shared a heartfelt and poignant reflection on his relationship with the F1 legend, revealing a deep sense of regret and loss. In a new interview with the Kolner Express newspaper, Weber opened up about his feelings nearly a decade after Schumacher’s tragic skiing accident that resulted in severe brain injuries.
Weber, now 81, expressed remorse for not visiting Schumacher in the hospital immediately following the accident. “Of course I regret that very much and blame myself,” he said. “I should have visited Michael in the hospital.”
The emotional toll of Schumacher’s accident on Weber was profound. “I grieved like a dog after his accident. It hit me incredibly hard,” he shared. Despite this, Weber reached a point where he had to emotionally detach. “At some point the time came when I had to free myself from Michael and let go. When I think about Michael now, unfortunately I no longer have any hope of seeing him again. No positive news after ten years.”
Weber also speculated on the impact of Schumacher’s absence on his son Mick’s career. He believes that if Michael had been present, Mick’s journey in F1 might have been different. “I think Michael was keen to get the boy into Formula 1 and manage him the way I used to manage him,” Weber remarked. He criticized the handling of Mick by his team, Haas, and suggested that Michael’s guidance could have offered Mick better opportunities.
“If he had been at Mick’s side, this Haas team boss wouldn’t have played such a bad role with him and Mick would have had a second chance somewhere else,” he said.
Mick Schumacher, who will be racing in an Alpine prototype at Le Mans and the world endurance championship next year, faces a new chapter reminiscent of his father’s early career. Weber sees this as a learning opportunity for Mick. “The boy has to adapt like his father did back then,” he advised. “But it’s not a formula car. You can’t throw it into the corner like a Formula 3, which Michael drove with precision like a Swiss watch.”
Weber also shared his personal health struggles, including back surgery and a mild stroke, alongside ongoing issues with his legs.
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