Rare Michael Schumacher throwback posted by daughter prompts heartfelt fan messages

Gina Schumacher, daughter of the legendary seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher, has posted a rare family throwback on social media. Celebrating her father's birthday, the photo shows the Schumacher family laughing alongside a caption that reads, "The best forever. Happy Birthday Papa."

In the photo sits the former Ferrari ace alongside his wife Corinna, with Gina and her brother Mick as children. While the Schumacher family has sporadically published these types of posts at certain moments, public photos featuring Michael are exceptionally uncommon, reflecting the privacy the family has maintained since the former driver's skiing accident in 2013. 

The tribute quickly gained momentum on Instagram, with it now boasting over 140,000 likes and 2000 comments at the time of writing. It drew comments from followers and fans of the family, with several also posting their own tribute to Schumacher or referencing the great legacy he created. 

One user wrote: “He’s still our greatest hero and legend. Happy Birthday.” Another added: "Thank you for sharing that family photo. Your father brought me so much happiness during my childhood; I only turned on the TV to watch him win." A third continued: “Happy birthday Michael. We miss you so much. Get better soon, legend.”

Despite being out of the public eye for so long, Schumacher remains one of the most influential figures in F1. Winning seven world titles, he certainly set a new benchmark for sustained performance under both Benetton and Ferrari. 

Since his accident in Meribel in December of 2013, the family has been protective of the information released around his recovery. While little is known about the health of the German, this hasn't stopped the public from showering the driver and family with praise and support. Maybe unsurprisingly, the #KeepFightingMichael hashtag is still being posted to social media in support of him. 

Michael Schumacher, Benetton leads at the start

Photo by: Sutton Images

What also hasn't stopped is the support from the Keep Fighting Foundation, a charity established by the family following the accident, which aims to support charitable projects. 

“Michael is here. Different, but he’s here, and that gives us strength, I find,” Corinna said in a Netflix documentary called Schumacher.

“We’re together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond. And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will.

“We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives. ‘Private is private’, as he always said.

“It’s very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us and now we are protecting Michael.”