Portrait of a racing driver

You may or may not have seen that this week Netflix chose the 30th anniversary of Michael Schumacher’s first Formula 1 race to release the trailer for its latest motorsport documentary, simply called ‘Schumacher’. It will be available on the streaming giant from September 15th, a week after the 30th anniversary of his second F1 race, a race in which he came fifth having out-qualified and out-raced his teammate, triple world champion Nelson Piquet.

The documentary is clearly very much a family affair and comes complete with interviews with his father, wife and children. Sabine Kehm, who has managed Michael’s affairs for as long as I can remember, says that Michael’s wife Corinna was ‘our greatest support’ in the making of the documentary.

But the film’s director Vanessa Nocker insists this will be no hagiography, claiming Corinna wanted to make ‘an authentic film to show Michael as he is, with all his ups and downs, without any sugar coating.’ And what I hope that means is simply that it gives an honest account of the man’s life, achievements and character up until that terrible day he had his skiing accident nearly eight years ago. I do not expect to nor would I want to hear of any details more recent than that. Some things should just stay private.