Michael Schumacher thought I was trying to kill him, David Coulthard says in bombshell doc 10 years since ski tragedy
MICHAEL Schumacher thought ex-racing legend David Coulthard tried to kill him in a past race, says the former McLaren driver.
In the new documentary Being Michael Schumacher, Coulthard speaks about the infamous race clash with the Ferrari driver during the Belgian Grand Prix in 1998.
But back in 1998, Coulthard had a bitter falling out with Schumacher after their on-track collision thwarted Schumacher from winning the race.
According to him, the German racer refused to accept that the car crash was unintentional – and believed it was rather a conspiracy to kill him.
Following the collision, Schumacher was furious and burst into the McLaren garage to confront Coulthard, accusing him of ruining his race.
Coulthard reveals in the documentary: “Michael thought it was some sort of conspiracy to kill him and try and help my teammate Mika.
“But it was simply an accident. It was just one of those things.”
The Belgium Grand Prix had taken place under extremely wet conditions, described then as almost monsoon-like.
The slippery track was so dangerous to race on that the first lap saw a massive crash involving thirteen drivers – and the race had to be stopped for over an hour.
After the restart, Michael Schumacher – who was driving for Ferrari – had overtaken Damien Hill.
Here he was nearly 40 seconds ahead when he approached Coulthard to lap him.
But Coulthard did not immediately let Schumacher pass, which led to the furious German shaking his fist at him in rage.
He eventually attempted to let Schumacher through by reducing his speed but staying on the racing line.
But, Schumacher, blinded by the spray in the poor visibility, whizzed on and crashed into the back of the Coulthard’s McLaren.
In a dramatic smash, the right front wheel of Schumacher’s Ferrari was torn off, as was the rear wing of Coulthard’s McLaren.
The latest documentary – which draws heavily on past footage – shows a bitter young Michael Schumacher in the pit lane filled with rage.
He told the television cameras: “David is a sensible driver, so I don’t understand at all why he acted like this.”
The factual film gobsmacked Coulthard speaking to the cameras, saying: “I can’t understand him, he has just accused me again of wanting to kill him.
“He has to take that back, it can’t be true.
“I hope he has some regret over his comments.”
The short film reveals the people who once funded Schumacher said this notorious feud was Schumacher’s fault.
Norbert Haug, former head of Mercedes Benz motorsport says: If I’m being really kind it was 50-50 and if I’m being realistic it was 95-5 done by Michael Schumacher, there was no reason at all to be travelling at that speed.”
Other parts of the documentary include how a viewer in Germany had written to the Cologne-based state prosecution office to “check whether Mr Schumacher’s action was punishable”,
It included the charge of “attempted murder, inflicting grievous bodily harm, coercion, and driving offences”.
For Coulthard, Schumacher was all about pushing the limits constantly, which made him an amazing driver.
But it also meant there was a darker side to him than many realised.
He says in the documentary: “Schumacher could be very ruthless, he could be cold, he could be distant.
“I think that’s probably the level you need to be at to be that successful.
“My understanding of where the limit was perhaps more in line with the rest of the drivers.”
Another clip from the documentary shows F1 presenter Florian König revealing the one thing he tells every curious fan asking about Michael Schumacher’s health.
Speaking to German producers ARD, König said: “Whenever someone speaks to me, at the airport or elsewhere, the question often comes up: ‘Do you know how Michael is doing? Do you know what’s going on now?’
“I always say the same thing: I don’t ask the family at all.”
The presenter, 56, explained why he also doesn’t seek answers from the Schumacher family.
“I absolutely respect the fact that they only gave very sparse information, and I think that’s right,” he said.
König, one of RTL’s Formula One faces for many years, added: “I notice from these questions that people are still interested and that they still share in his fate.”
The documentary, to be aired on December 28, will explore Schumacher’s early years including his rise to prominence, from a go-karting background to one of the best drivers in Formula One history.
It will mark the 10-year anniversary of his horrific skiing accident, which occurred in the French Alps on December 29, 2013.
The new series will follow a 2021 documentary produced by Netflix in which Schumacher’s wife Corinna remained tight-lipped about her husband’s condition, saying only that he was “different” post-crash.
