WEBVTT - Michael Schumacher: Where Are They Now?

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<v Speaker 1>On this episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly, we continue Where

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<v Speaker 1>Are They Now Week with a story of triumph and

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<v Speaker 1>tragedy in a sport on the rise. We spoke to

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<v Speaker 1>SI senior writer John Wertheim about his piece on Michael Schumacher,

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<v Speaker 1>Formula One's most successful driver ever, who disappeared from the

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<v Speaker 1>public eye nearly a decade ago. Before we talk about

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<v Speaker 1>Michael Schumacher, we have to talk about Formula one, the

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<v Speaker 1>sport he was king of for a long time. You

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<v Speaker 1>mentioned in your piece that it's really catching on in

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<v Speaker 1>the US, and they've recently announced adding a race in

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<v Speaker 1>Las Vegas. Beginning in Formula one has uh in auto

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<v Speaker 1>racing terms, it's caught a gear. Formula one has become

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<v Speaker 1>this very trendy voguer sport. The F one racing in

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<v Speaker 1>Miami was like super Bowl level. There's a race in Vegas.

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<v Speaker 1>This is a at sport. A lot of this I

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<v Speaker 1>think is obviously the Netflix documentary, but this is a

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<v Speaker 1>sport on the rise. When they get into a two

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<v Speaker 1>hundred alcohol they almost fight of parliamentality an twa thing

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<v Speaker 1>on my family. All I do is probably for a

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<v Speaker 1>sci ferrice, you need to respect to speed. For the

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<v Speaker 1>second the driver has few you need to retire. That

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<v Speaker 1>Netflix documentary is incredibly popular. Formula ones Drive to Survive

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<v Speaker 1>has four seasons under its belt and a fifth and

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<v Speaker 1>six recently announced, but fans of F one are also

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<v Speaker 1>hungry for information about one of the sport's biggest stars,

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<v Speaker 1>Michael Schumacher. Yeah, there was a Netflix film I you know,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe six months ago, clearly done with with the Famili's

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<v Speaker 1>buy it about Michael Schumacher, and you know, it was

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<v Speaker 1>really much more of a tribute to any sort of

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<v Speaker 1>update or anything like that. But it's it's a wild story,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's it's a sensitive story. It's a sad story.

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<v Speaker 1>But here you have this ascending sport and the Tiger Woods.

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<v Speaker 1>The Michael Jordan's figure of the sport is, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>is no one quite knows about his whereabouts and no

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<v Speaker 1>one quite knows about his his prognosis, his state right now.

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<v Speaker 1>It's really quite tragic and it's something that it interested

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<v Speaker 1>me as as sort of a new coover to Formula one.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, it's it's we have this in other sports

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<v Speaker 1>and and maybe the maybe the figure is deceased, and

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<v Speaker 1>maybe they're very prominent, but I can't think of too

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<v Speaker 1>many situations like this where the most prominent figure I'm

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<v Speaker 1>certainly of the last twenty five years, maybe ever is

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<v Speaker 1>in a state like Michael Schumacher. Wow, comparable to a

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<v Speaker 1>Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan's. Tell us, what about his

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<v Speaker 1>career puts him on their level. Michael Schumacher was absolutely

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<v Speaker 1>one of the perhaps perhaps the greatest, certainly one of

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<v Speaker 1>the greatest Formula one racers ever. When when Errton Senna

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<v Speaker 1>passed away by ironically you know, and erased Michael Schumacher one,

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<v Speaker 1>Michael Schumacher really didn't merely win the race. He really

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<v Speaker 1>became sort of be the air apparent. Schumacher wins at

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<v Speaker 1>Spall and that's his first win. This is an all

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<v Speaker 1>time successful driver. That's Michael Schumacher. Is that two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and four Formula one World champion guy went back into

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<v Speaker 1>the research. This wasn't well, it's it's gonna be a race.

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<v Speaker 1>Pardon the pun, but it's gonna be a race among

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<v Speaker 1>Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Michael Schumacher, who's gonna become the

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<v Speaker 1>first billionaire? It is gonna be an historic win pasta MAKA.

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<v Speaker 1>He was doing business in China. Before that was Voga.

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<v Speaker 1>She was this absolute global superstar with with homes all

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<v Speaker 1>over the world, and he flew private. Michael Schumacher has

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<v Speaker 1>done it today and he wins his sixty fun propride

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<v Speaker 1>and he's a five times world Formula one champion. For

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<v Speaker 1>a certain time period he was as big as any

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<v Speaker 1>athlete in the world. I think we have to address

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<v Speaker 1>that Formula one, by its very nature, is an incredibly

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<v Speaker 1>dangerous sport. You mentioned his rivalry with Senna, which unfortunately

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<v Speaker 1>ended in tragedy. Yeah, and sort of one of the

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<v Speaker 1>great tragic ironies of this story is that Michael Schumacher,

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<v Speaker 1>you're right, was in this this terrifically dangerous, exhilarating sport

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<v Speaker 1>where the slightest miscalculation can can have fatal consequences. This

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<v Speaker 1>is a sport in which his his rival, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>died on impact in a race, a race of Michael

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<v Speaker 1>Schumacher one. And yet his his condition now, his deeply

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<v Speaker 1>compromised condition now has nothing to do with auto racing.

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<v Speaker 1>So what does it have to do with Shortly after

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<v Speaker 1>a retirement on the new rater around ten years ago,

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<v Speaker 1>Michael Schumacher went on a on a ski trip. He's

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<v Speaker 1>he's German but lives in Switzerland, and this was on

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<v Speaker 1>the on the French side of the Alps, and no

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<v Speaker 1>one knows entirely what happened. But he had a very

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<v Speaker 1>serious accident, was airlifted, was in a medically induced coma,

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<v Speaker 1>and hasn't really been heard or seen from since. And

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<v Speaker 1>it's clearly you know that the family is deeply private

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<v Speaker 1>about his state. Quite understandably, I wrote this story. It

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<v Speaker 1>was sort of a delicate story to write in that

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<v Speaker 1>and I think it's newds worthy. I think it's relevant.

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<v Speaker 1>But you also want to be empathic, and you want

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<v Speaker 1>to be respectful, and you want to be sensitive to

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<v Speaker 1>the family and their their desire to sort of keep

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<v Speaker 1>keep private private. But he is clearly in a deeply

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<v Speaker 1>compromised state. In your piece, you mentioned one person who

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<v Speaker 1>was eventually arrested for trying to sell Schumacher's medical records

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<v Speaker 1>after the accident. But other than that, most people who

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<v Speaker 1>know him and respect him, they're not talking about his

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<v Speaker 1>current condition. What do you owe that too? It's a

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<v Speaker 1>great question. I think different people have different motivations. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>when this happened, I mean again, it's it's hard to

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<v Speaker 1>exaggerate what an absolute global figure. I mean, this is

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<v Speaker 1>of fifteen years ago. This is you know, a Tiger Woods,

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<v Speaker 1>Michael Jordan Lebron James level global athlete. And there was

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<v Speaker 1>a huge hunger and interest in what had happened. And

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<v Speaker 1>as you mentioned, somebody involved in the rescue temp ended

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<v Speaker 1>up selling their story and that was a criminal fence.

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<v Speaker 1>They were sentenced to some prison time and actually took

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<v Speaker 1>their life in prison. So there was a huge desire

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<v Speaker 1>for the for the public to have more information. There

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<v Speaker 1>was a desire for the family not to have any

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<v Speaker 1>information come out. And what I discovered reporting this story

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<v Speaker 1>is there's a lot of whispering and speculation, and it's,

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<v Speaker 1>as you know, honestly, as you might expect there to

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<v Speaker 1>be both in who I visited, the town where he resides,

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<v Speaker 1>and everyone knows the story, and everybody sort of has

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<v Speaker 1>has a story of seeing Schumacher or his wife rides

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<v Speaker 1>horses nearby, or we used to see him and now

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<v Speaker 1>we don't. But it was very hard to get people

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<v Speaker 1>to to speak on the record. That includes formula one

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<v Speaker 1>and again it's just a sort of a deeply uncomfortable

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<v Speaker 1>situation where you know he's he's still he's still with us,

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<v Speaker 1>and he's still a driver who commands very rightfully, so

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<v Speaker 1>a great deal of respect and admiration, but he clearly

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<v Speaker 1>is is in a deeply compromised stay. There's very little

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<v Speaker 1>information that comes out, and I think, you know, honestly,

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<v Speaker 1>I think that at some level, people at least in

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<v Speaker 1>Europe know this story and have left it alone. Where

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<v Speaker 1>we're Formula one has not had to see a storm

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<v Speaker 1>of that one has always been popular. Michael Schumacher was

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<v Speaker 1>never really a polarizing figure in Formula one. There wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>much in the way of a public scandal during his career.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think his fans in particular are so protective

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<v Speaker 1>of him now because of his behavior before his accident.

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<v Speaker 1>That's a really good point. I mean, you know, you

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<v Speaker 1>and I spoke as well this week about stephie Graff,

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<v Speaker 1>who is a fellow German and also very close to

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<v Speaker 1>Michael Schumacher an age, and you know, coincident or or not,

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<v Speaker 1>they both sort of conducted themselves quite similarly, where they

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<v Speaker 1>tried to perform to their sport and performed at this

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<v Speaker 1>unprecedented level and had very little interest in the other

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<v Speaker 1>trappings of celebrity as a human, if you go through

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<v Speaker 1>difficult times and you can sustain and you can actually

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<v Speaker 1>grow and develop yourself. Still, that is what makes it

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<v Speaker 1>even his trauma, and that's what I feel. I feel

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<v Speaker 1>like a much more mature person, much more open, much

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<v Speaker 1>more easy going, uh than I ever have been before.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, Michael Schumacher was not particularly you know, out

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<v Speaker 1>there charismatic, candid athlete. There's a story I included in

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<v Speaker 1>this story of Sports Illustrated, you know, and this just

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<v Speaker 1>was fifteen years ago. So sent sent a writer. They finally,

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<v Speaker 1>after months and months of negotiating, they finally got an

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<v Speaker 1>interview with Michael Schumacher. They sent a writer across the

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<v Speaker 1>ocean and he got a few minutes with Michael Schumacher

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<v Speaker 1>while Michael Schumacher was on the treadmill. So this is

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<v Speaker 1>not you know, this is not exactly Charles Barkley. And

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<v Speaker 1>I think perhaps that's informed one reason why people are

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<v Speaker 1>so delicate, And I think at some level people have

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<v Speaker 1>realized that the family doesn't want a lot of conversation.

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<v Speaker 1>But I do think you're right that the fact that

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<v Speaker 1>Michael Schumacher in his prime was so private, may maybe

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<v Speaker 1>if this were the Charles Barkley of auto racing, people

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<v Speaker 1>would think differently. In the Netflix documentary Schumacher, his son

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<v Speaker 1>Mick talks about his desire to be able to share

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<v Speaker 1>his own career in racing with his dad. This pap

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<v Speaker 1>is once and then advisor for Stanburton. Yet I'm off

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<v Speaker 1>I've been in in a Amisian shasion. Do you find

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<v Speaker 1>that fans have rallied around Mick and Michael's absence? Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>there's some of that. Mick Schumacher is a racer up

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<v Speaker 1>and coming. I mean not at least not yet. He's

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<v Speaker 1>not of his father's caliber. Who knows he might be,

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<v Speaker 1>But no, I think that that Schumacher name goes a

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<v Speaker 1>long way. And I mean again, I can't exaggerate. Formula

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<v Speaker 1>one at the US and the time, and Michael Schumacher

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<v Speaker 1>saw reference. So you could walk down Broadway and he

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<v Speaker 1>might not go recognize. But globally this was an absolute

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<v Speaker 1>a list athlete and for a lot of racing fans,

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<v Speaker 1>not just in Europe where Formula one is sort of

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<v Speaker 1>the central to Formula one, but but he was very

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<v Speaker 1>big in China, is very big in India, but I

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<v Speaker 1>think all over the world. Yeah, Mick Schumacher has has

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<v Speaker 1>clearly picked up on some of the popularity that his

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<v Speaker 1>father had when he was the best racer in the world.

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<v Speaker 1>This all leaves me with one big question for you, John,

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<v Speaker 1>when we talk about where some of these sports legends

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<v Speaker 1>are now. In the case of someone like Michael Schumacher,

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<v Speaker 1>all we know is that he's alive. Do you think

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<v Speaker 1>people his fans should know more? Are we entitled to

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<v Speaker 1>that information just because of someone's success in sports? You know,

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<v Speaker 1>it's It's something I wrestled with doing the story um

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<v Speaker 1>and I think it's a balance between respecting the family's wishes,

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<v Speaker 1>which is clearly for maximum privacy, and at the same time,

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<v Speaker 1>I think there's you know, at some level, there's a

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<v Speaker 1>newsworthiness to the fact that this this sport is on

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<v Speaker 1>the uptick and the best driver in history. Is sort

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<v Speaker 1>of a topic that doesn't come up in conversation that

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<v Speaker 1>everybody's sort of very a fraught topic. I think the

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<v Speaker 1>family's wishes ought to prevail, and if they don't want

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<v Speaker 1>a lot disclose, it ought not to be disclosed. But

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<v Speaker 1>I do think just sort of setting out the fact

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<v Speaker 1>pattern here, I mean, just kind of laying out the

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<v Speaker 1>tragic irony of this. Laying out the fact that as

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<v Speaker 1>Formula one is so popular, you know, no one quite

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<v Speaker 1>knows the status of the best driver in history. I

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<v Speaker 1>think is worthy of the story. Athletes are part of

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<v Speaker 1>the lineage and when they retire, when they see us competing,

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<v Speaker 1>they still are part of the landscape, sometimes more prominently

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<v Speaker 1>than others. But to have somebody completely drop off and

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<v Speaker 1>something we're not used to seeing. Thanks for listening, and

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<v Speaker 1>a reminder to please rate and review our show. It

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<v Speaker 1>was produced by Jessica Yourmoski, Jordan Risieri That's me, and

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<v Speaker 1>Isaac Lee, who was also our sound engineer. Our senior

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<v Speaker 1>producer is Dan Bloom. Our executive producers are Scott Brody

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<v Speaker 1>and John Gonzalez. Our theme song is by Nolan Schneider.

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<v Speaker 1>H