Spanish F1 expert Antonio Lobato has apologized for making a joke about Michael Schumacher’s physical condition on live television, with the commentator blaming his ‘clumsy’ comment on jet lag.
Lobato faced a backlash from F1 fans after a comment during Spanish television coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix.
An expert had said in the news: ‘Make (Red Bull engineer) Adrian Newey shake because Antonio Lobato is coming’.
Lobato himself replied: ‘Let Michael tremble! Well…not Michael, he can’t shake.’
The 58-year-old journalist faced calls to resign after his comments about Schumacher’s condition.
Spanish F1 expert Antonio Lobato has apologized for a joke about Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher (pictured in 2012) has not appeared in public since a skiing accident in 2013
Schumacher had a skiing accident in December 2013 and was put into a medically induced coma. He has not appeared in public since.
The former Formula 1 driver – who won seven world championships – is being cared for by a team of medical staff and his wife Corinna at their home on Lake Geneva.
Lobato posted a five-minute video on Xformerly Twitter, to apologize for his comment during the show which he labeled as “pure awkwardness.”
“I made a mistake without any bad intentions,” Lobato said Marca.
“It was just a mistake out of sheer clumsiness, out of sheer inability to express myself properly, maybe because of too many hours of delay, jet lag in Madrid, or whatever – which is no excuse for those of you who haven’t seen it .
“What happened is I went too far and made an expression that is not right, not accurate, not right.
‘I didn’t mean to joke, I didn’t mean to make fun of Michael Schumacher.
‘I think anyone who knows me and who I am knows very well that I would never make a joke about something like that. Never, but I was clumsy.’
Lobato claimed he had tried to make a reference to a legendary figure within the sport to compare to Newey.
It followed Red Bull’s victory in the Constructors’ Championship, meaning twelve cars designed by the engineer have won the standings during his career.
Schumacher’s wife Corinna (pictured skiing together in 2005) has kept his condition private
German magazine Die Aktuelle claimed to have an ‘exclusive interview’ with Michael Schumacher
Lobato suggested he should have instead referred to Lewis Hamilton rather than Schumacher to avoid the ‘complicated situation’ faced by the F1 giant and his family.
Earlier this month, former F1 driver Johnny Herbert spoke – Schumacher’s teammate at Benetton – revealed the legend is ‘not close’ to returning to his former self.
‘There is never any news. What we do know is that we never hear any positive news,” Herbert said.
In April, a German magazine was branded ‘stupid’ after they promoted an ‘exclusive interview’ with Michael Schumacher on the front cover of their latest edition – only to later reveal that the fake quotes had been generated via artificial intelligence (AI).
His condition remains a secret, which is why heads turned when German magazine Die Aktuelle revealed an ‘exclusive interview’ with the stricken driver.
The front, dated April 15, 2023, featured the exclusive label, as well as a photo of a smiling Schumacher. They further claimed it was “the first interview” he had given since his skiing accident.
The article, which did not include a byline, continued before ending with an admission that the quotes are in fact fake and that Schumacher or anyone else in the family had not been spoken to.
‘Did Michael Schumacher really say everything himself? The interview was online. On a page that has to do with artificial intelligence, or AI for short,” the piece concludes.
F1 fans immediately condemned the magazine for its ‘lack of decency’ and ’embarrassment’ in claiming to have spoken to Schumacher.
German media expert Boris Rosenkranz wrote one commentary piece labeling the stunt as ‘Too stupid to be true’.