186 replies to this topic

[H0R]

 

 

In ages overdue step Ralf finally comes out of the closet. 

Since decades I was really gutted that he never talked about it when he had the opportunity do something for the LGBT community as an active athlete. Still, better late than never. Grats, Ralf!

 

[macjim]

In this day in age, does it really matter and I’m a reactionary old white man

[messy]

Good for him. Does it matter? It does to him.

[PayasYouRace]

It would be nice to think that we’re living in a world where nobody bats an eyelid about what gender you prefer to partner up with. But it isn’t that world yet. There’s still a lot of bigotry out there. Good on Ralf and his SO for openly being their authentic selves.

[Marklar]

 

 

In ages overdue step Ralf finally comes out of the closet. 

Since decades I was really gutted that he never talked about it when he had the opportunity do something for the LGBT community as an active athlete. Still, better late than never. Grats, Ralf!

when he was a active athlete society was unfortunately not ready for it. He was also still in his pretend-marriage (everyone in Germany knew about this because his now-ex-father-in-law semi-outed him already before they got married). These things take time and he should be not judged for taking this long.

[FLB]

when he was a active athlete society was unfortunately not ready for it. He was also still in his pretend-marriage (everyone in Germany knew about this because his now-ex-father-in-law semi-outed him already before they got married). These things take time and he should be not judged for taking this long.

There's a precedent within motorsports: Danny Watts.

 

Danny Watts Official Website - danny-watts.com

 

 

 

You feel that you need to hide it in motorsport, as it is a very masculine sport. There was something inside me that said ‘right, you can’t hide anymore, you need to be free and true to yourself

[efuloni]

I had no idea. Glad for him.

[FirstnameLastname]

Good for him, we all knew years ago!

[Ruusperi]

Good for him, we all knew years ago!

I didn't even know he was divorced from his wife. Though it's not like I follow the lives of current or ex-F1 drivers.

[Pete_f1]

Glad he is happy.

That's all that's important.

[William Hunt]

I have double feelings about this.

I find it sad, that he had to wait so long and stay in the closet in (public) so long. Every person should be able to enjoy love, free of judgements of other people, with the person of their choice regardless of gender. On the other hand I am happy for him that he outed himself and found the love of his life.

 

During his career in F1 I really disliked him and he had a reputation with the teams he drove for to be difficult sometimes. But after his racing career he's grown on me a lot. I really appreciated that he first started managing a team (that he took over from Weber) in karting and later also started up a team, that's pretty successful right now, in Formula 4 with US Racing.

 

But he in particular grew on me in interviews. I can in particular recall his Beyond the Grid episode, he admitted there that he used to be a difficult person when he was in F1. He seemed like a person who found his thing (managing a karting team initially and currently an F4 team) and he's really good at what he does now. He seems like a really nice person these days. But until today I wasn't aware of his orientation. To me it makes absolutely no difference what one's preference is, but I am happy to see now that he has also found happiness in love and that he finally feels it's also the right moment for him to come out in the open. And I find that sad as well, sad because people still have to "come out" whilst it shouldn't matter who someone loves and what gender that person has. Love is in the first place a personal and private matter and it is never up to others to judge other people. Just let people be happy the way they wish and look at your own life instead of judging others..

[Risil]

I actually had no idea! I wish them every happiness.

[Nemo1965]

Now… is this something better suited for Paddock Club or not? I’m not being glib, I’m really on the fence about it. 🤔 Just like Danica Patrick and the lizard people (not that it is in any way comparable or similar!)

Edited by Nemo1965, 14 July 2024 - 20:02.

[Risil]

It's fine where it is

[Nemo1965]

🫡

[PlatenGlass]

It seems everyone who has posted so far is fluent in German. From Google translate:

"The best thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything"

[H0R]

I knew it since 2002, as pretty much every member of german media did. But no one bothered to write about it, be it because of fear of getting sued to hell and back by Ralf's brother or, believe it or not, because we all considered it his private matter.

As much as it is his own decision to come out today it was his personal decision not to talk about it before. This has to be respected. And it was also well known in the paddock so coming out wouldn't have changed anything, neither in regards to his racing career nor towards the media. But as mentioned above I am convinced it could have changed a lot for gay and lesbian people around the world to see a world famous athlete coming out. 

[FLB]

I wonder how Matt Bishop feels about this. He absolutely *hated* Ralf Schumacher, to the point he wrote a rather scathing article for F1 Racing when the German was near the end of his F1 driving career...

[Risil]

For that matter, I wonder how Ralf felt about reading those articles from Matt Bishop!

[Frood]

I'm glad Ralf is happy and he is comfortable enough to be open about it now. Sadly, I'm not sure 2000s motorsport would have been the most supportive place had he come out then, as the Patrick Watts quote above mentions. It shouldn't matter in this day and age, but it likely still does.

[Acathla]

Really happy for him. And I agree with William Hunt, sad that it had to take "so long". 

 

And in the case of Matt Bishop, I am still wondering which F1 driver called him a "fat ******". 

[Jellyfishcake]

I vaguely remember rumours or what back in the day, maybe just because his ex wife was such a stereotypical show wife.

But i'm happy he feels he is in a place to say this now, even though like others I wish it wasn't newsworthy, and just an accepted thing, hopefully oneday we'll reach the point active sportspeople will be able to be open.

He might be an ex-driver, but as a F1 race winner he's still a notable name and thats great for the LGBT community.

 

Hope he has a great future with his partner 

[HuddersfieldTerrier1986]

Had absolutely no idea to be honest, but fair play to him for coming out.

As others have said, 20-25 years ago when he was an active driver, the reaction from society unfortunately wouldn't have been so positive.

The main thing is he and his partner are happy

[Marklar]

I knew it since 2002, as pretty much every member of german media did. But no one bothered to write about it, be it because of fear of getting sued to hell and back by Ralf's brother or, believe it or not, because we all considered it his private matter.
As much as it is his own decision to come out today it was his personal decision not to talk about it before. This has to be respected. And it was also well known in the paddock so coming out wouldn't have changed anything, neither in regards to his racing career nor towards the media. But as mentioned above I am convinced it could have changed a lot for gay and lesbian people around the world to see a world famous athlete coming out.

I'm sorry but that is nonsense. There is a big difference when everyone (including fans that would weaponise it) knows 100 % vs when a lot kinda know it 95 % - it would definitely had made a difference for his career, especially back then.

No active racing driver has come out all those years. I think it's weird to expect this from someone in the 2000s which was a completely different time.

[Metronazol]

Had no idea.

Happy for him, whilst also waiting for the day that doing this isnt even a 'thing' - we are inching our way there.

[Myrvold]

In this day in age, does it really matter and I’m a reactionary old white man

 

Yes it does. It most certainly does.

 

Good for him. Does it matter? It does to him.

 

It matters for many. Sadly, it doesn't have the same impact as an active driver doing it. There is still this underlying idea about a racing driver that I've been writing about in the Racing Pride thread before.

 

Good for him, we all knew years ago!

 

Interestingly, I've had quite a few chats after various Racing Pride posts - noen have even mentioned, or hinted towards this.

 

Now… is this something better suited for Paddock Club or not? I’m not being glib, I’m really on the fence about it. Just like Danica Patrick and the lizard people (not that it is in any way comparable or similar!)

 

Nope. Again, in reference to many of my posts in the Racing Pride thread, this is frustratingly an "issue" in actual racing, that does impact racing drivers, young and old.

 

I'm sorry but that is nonsense. There is a big difference when everyone (including fans that would weaponise it) knows 100 % vs when a lot kinda know it 95 % - it would definitely had made a difference for his career, especially back then.

No active racing driver has come out all those years. I think it's weird to expect this from someone in the 2000s which was a completely different time.

 

Indeed. There's so much rumours at times, what's from "haters" trying to "ruin" people, and what's from the former Tumblr-fandom who decides to make it their fantasy, what is just random people seeing ghosts in broad daylight, and what's rumours with actual foundations, isn't easy to know. There's so easy to find stuff about so many current, active drivers, that it is nonsense to think that "there's no smoke without fire"... So much clickbait bs, even more after the engagement-payouts on X.

 

And the thing about active drivers, is a sad thing in it all.

 

EDIT: The first thing I did after seeing this, before writing here, is sending it to the ones I've mentioned in the Racing Pride thread, though, knowing it is again a non-active driver, so it probably won't make any of them feel much better.

Edited by Myrvold, 14 July 2024 - 21:14.

[Dolph]

Surely there are drivers in F1 now also, who are gay. Theres at least one driver I can think of who I havent seen with a girlfriend in 15 years. It should be a non issue though. Cant image hiding your relationships for decades.

[Beri]

I thought this was already clear? Move on.

[FLB]

I keep asking myself about the timing of his coming out.

 

1) It's the the day of the final of the Euro 2024

2) The events of the weekend in the US

 

 

This news is going to be buried, and soon. Well played, Herr Schumacher, well played... 

[Metronazol]

Surely there are drivers in F1 now also, who are gay. Theres at least one driver I can think of who I havent seen with a girlfriend in 15 years. It should be a non issue though. Cant image hiding your relationships for decades.

It's none of our business - that anyone feels the need to hide in this day and age means work is still to be done.

[Gambelli]

Anyone else think the silhouette of his partner looks like Montoya in his prime?????

 

This whole 'coming out' thing is so foreign to me, the industry I work in has a very high ratio of people from the LGBT community, always has, so to me it's always just been a part of 'normal' and not a thing that even needed discussion.

 

I realise 100% by the way that thats not the way everywhere, I'm just sharing that it's always been 'my' normal.

[Gareth]

I knew it since 2002, as pretty much every member of german media did. But no one bothered to write about it, be it because of fear of getting sued to hell and back by Ralf's brother or, believe it or not, because we all considered it his private matter.

I’m glad it was considered a private matter, because it is. Of course it would be wonderful if he was in a world where he would have felt comfortable to come out back then (and whilst I think the 2000’s may have been that place from my experience of them, it’s not my place to make that call), and of course it would have been positive for many to see that happening, but it’s his life.

[Myrvold]

Surely there are drivers in F1 now also, who are gay. Theres at least one driver I can think of who I havent seen with a girlfriend in 15 years. It should be a non issue though. Cant image hiding your relationships for decades.

 

I think this sorta underlines what I mentioned about different style of "rumours" in my last post.

 

This whole 'coming out' thing is so foreign to me, the industry I work in has a very high ratio of people from the LGBT community, always has, so to me it's always just been a part of 'normal' and not a thing that even needed discussion.

 

I realise 100% by the way that thats not the way everywhere, I'm just sharing that it's always been 'my' normal.

 

I've never had that personally either.  While I am quite open about it here, at least in certain threads/discussions - I usually don't really say much about it. Granted, I'm now single after spent over half of my life, since 10th grade with the same dude, but we never went with a "coming out" thing. We just answered if people asked, and when it came up in a natural part of a conversation I mentioned that it was a guy. We also kinda assumed people just understood it when we move to a new place together for the 4th time...

 

Regardless, that's just a personal thing. I've not had to juggle sponsors to try to finance anything, or have a certain image.

 

Imagine being 20 years, you actually get a chance with a major racing-team wanting to take a chance on you, it's the only team in F1/WEC/Whatever high level, that actually are willing to pay you, you can make a living of it. It's just that a majority of the financing comes from the Middle-East, there's been created an image of you that you are a ladies man etc. That's not a easy place to show up to a race with a dude as a significant other.

 

No matter how correct/incorrect it is - for many there is a feeling of how a racing driver is supposed to be, and racing is in many areas of the world a sport where you see more conservatives as well. It doesn't necesseraly align with brining a dude with you as a dude. It's not that long ago that an RX-driver in Sweden lost his main sponsor, solely for running a rainbow flag on his car. The driver himself is hetero, with a girlfriend and I think a kid as well. He just wanted to show support..

[ANF]

Wow, I had no idea.

Hopefully, this will have some effect both on other LGBT racing drivers' willingness to be open about their sexual orientation and on the prejudice and ignorance of others.

Edited by ANF, 15 July 2024 - 09:05.

[southernstars]

I'm glad he feels comfortable enough to come out now. I had no idea.

I just hope it was his own choice and that we're not about to find out this was part of that blackmail plot.

As to all the people saying "finally"...this is still a sport where people insist that you're not manly enough if you don't pass out in your car and die. Gee, can't *imagine* why Ralf might not have come out while active.

[MKSixer]

I'm glad he is happy and finally free to be himself.  Best of luck to he and his family.  

[krapmeister]

Best wishes to Ralf and his partner - carrying a 'secret' like that in a fairly hyper-masculine world like F1 probably explains Ralf's notoriously prickly reputation somewhat...

[F1 Mike]

Certainly moves things in the world of F1 more into line with many other parts of life where it becomes normal. It's how it should be. I get why some may question the need to make any sort of announcement or grand reveal... However, until it's fully and wholly accepted everywhere, broadcasting it in this way helps to spread the message and 'fly the flag' so to speak. It makes a difference to many, however small, to say it's ok to be this way for a racing driver.

I'm not gay myself, but know people who are and hope that one day no part of the world has a problem with it... Unfortunately there is some way to go on that front especially with countries of certain religions.

[GreenMachine]

Not a fan, so I am a bit late to the party!  Non-issue for me today, not so sure about me 20 years ago, it was a different world back then. 

 

Certainly agree about heteronormative expectations in decades past, and the pressures on an up-and-coming young driver to conform, in all respects, and then having embarked on that path how/when do you step outside it?

 

Good on him/them, good wishes for a long and happy life together.

[404KF2]

At first I thought it was him with his brother....

 

This news is not quite as interesting but good for him.

[sanat]

Good for him, I’m glad he is happy.

Now, does this make him the most successful gay driver in Formula One? In all of motorsport?

[Outsider]

I was Ralf's fan when he was active driver and I didn't know about it, never really cared who he slept with. And as heterosexual woman, I can say that  I am happy that my very first favourite driver finds himself in comfortable position enough to come out.

[Hyatt]

Ralf!

[MP418]

Surely there are drivers in F1 now also, who are gay. Theres at least one driver I can think of who I havent seen with a girlfriend in 15 years. It should be a non issue though. Cant image hiding your relationships for decades.

Only because a man hasn't been seen with a girlfriend in 15 years doesn't mean he's gay. That's just another stereotype that needs to go. Just saying.

[Mat13]

Had no idea. Good for him.

[MP418]

I vaguely remember rumours or what back in the day, maybe just because his ex wife was such a stereotypical show wife.

Do also consider that Ralf and Cora were married for 14 years (and probably had a relationship before that) and have a son, David. It appears that Cora was more than a show wife and that Cora married Ralf for more than money and fame.

I would like to stress two things:
1. People are not necessarily born with a certain sexual orientation that stays for their whole life
2. People are not necessarily (100%) "gay" or (100%) "straight". It can be fluid.

In the case of Ralf Schumacher, we simply don't know.

[blacky]

Ten years ago German Bild made an article when the Schumachers got divorced, also about the gay rumours.

 

https://www.bild.de/...d.html#fromWall

 

Hopefully the Donau doesn't become an Island now.   

[jonklug]

Never knew because I don't really care much about celebrities' love lives but very happy for him, people deserve to be happy and not have to hide it. 

[MP418]

Interesting article, but it leaves these questions: How could Cora have married someone she knew he's gay, how could she have wanted a son with him? How could Ralf have married Cora and not kept it as a "show relationship"? A marriage is a whole different level. You wouldn't do that just to pretend.

[SophieB]

I removed a couple of posts. I’m glad Ralf Schumacher has reached a stage where he’s happy to choose to share this publicly. Please don’t use this news and thread as an excuse to speculate on the sexuality of other drivers.

 

As ever, discussion of this note by PM only, if required at all.