Ralf Schumacher’s new partner has revealed he is ‘disappointed’ with the former Formula 1 star’s heartbroken ex-wife after she claimed she was not informed of their relationship or her husband’s homosexuality.
The former Williams driver, brother of seven-time world champion Michael, came out as gay in July by posting a photo of himself with his French business manager Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne. The pair are standing arm in arm on a boat.
Immediately after the announcement, the 49-year-old Schumacher received a flood of positive messages, including from his good friend, German actress Carmen Geiss.
But comments from ex-wife Cora a few weeks later sparked a bitter feud between the former couple, after the model and former racer said she felt “used” and had “wasted her best years” – and that she had not been told about Ralf and Etienne’s relationship.
The sporting icon’s new partner has now strongly denied the claims and admitted he is ‘disappointed’ by the comments, in an interview with RTL.
Ralf Schumacher (left) pictured with partner Etienne (right), his French business manager whom he met in Monaco
Ralf Schumacher’s ex-wife Cora (left) claimed she felt ‘used’ after her ex-husband came out as gay in July
Following the announcement, Schumacher, 49, received a flood of positive messages
He said: ‘I thought we had a good relationship with Cora. When she arrived, she asked me: “Are you sleeping together?”
“I said to her, ‘Yes, of course. We’re together. We’re a couple.’”
“And she was happy for us. That was okay, that was great, a great week with Cora.
“That’s why I’m disappointed now.”
Cora claimed in August that she had heard about the relationship through social media and that she had been psychologically manipulated by Ralf during their marriage.
“I wish Ralf had involved me or at least made me part of his decision. That would have been a sign of respect,” she told Der Spiegel, via Marca.
‘During his career in Formula 1 there were many rumours in the paddock. I asked him to clarify whether what was said was true, but he always denied it and said that I was imagining everything and that I might need psychological help.
“When he announced it, it was like a stab in the heart. Coming out always affects the people around you, including the ex-wife you had a child with.
Etienne said: ‘I thought we had a good relationship with Cora. When she arrived, she asked me: “Are you sleeping together?”
Cora claimed in August that she had heard about the relationship through social media
She is a former GQ cover star and is still a major TV personality in Germany
Cora wonders if her ex-husband really loves her and feels ‘stabbed in the heart’
‘Today I feel used in the marriage. I feel like I wasted my best years. I ask myself a lot of questions. Was he honest with me?
“And there’s something more important that’s going through my mind: did he love me? I trusted him implicitly and therefore his word was law to me.”
Ralf responded to his ex-wife’s comments by stressing that he had always been faithful to Cora, 47, and that if he had wanted a child, he could have achieved this in other ways than through marriage.
He added that she seemed to be the only one who was bothered by his relationship update.
According to Geiss, Ralf has been together with 34-year-old Etienne, whom he met in Monaco, for two years.
Cora, 47, married Schumacher in 2001 and were together for 14 years.
The two were still thought to be close, as he congratulated her in January on joining the cast of the German version of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
She is a German actress, model, former racing driver and TV presenter and is also active on the adult platform OnlyFans.
In October 2003 she was on the cover of the German edition of GQ, after which she turned her attention to racing.
Cora and Ralf married in 2001, had a son that year and were together for 14 years
Six-time Grand Prix winner Ralf raced between 1997 and 2007. Pictured with legendary brother Michael, left
Ralf pictured with Michael (right) after winning the Canadian Grand Prix in 2001
Ralf’s son David (above) said he is “100 percent behind” his father following the announcement
Under her husband’s influence, she made her racing debut in 2004 as part of the celebrity team in the Mini Challenge in Germany, qualifying 22nd out of 24 competitors for her first race.
She then moved on to the more competitive sport of racing and enjoyed it for 14 years until retiring in 2018.
Etienne also said he was not comfortable with Ralf coming out as homosexual, but added that he supported his partner all the time and that he “loves everything” about the former Formula 1 driver.