Michael Schumacher unable “to be part of family; he’s there but he’s not there”

Michael Schumacher now is shielded from the public glare by his family at their home in Switzerland, after a skiing accident nearly 10 years ago left him in a coma.

The legend was given his F1 debut by Jordan, for the team named after its owner, in 1991 before going on to set an all-time record seven world championships, which Lewis Hamilton has now equalled.

Jordan told OLBG about Schumacher’s son Mick: “It can't be easy knowing that your father is not able to be part of the family, he's there but he's not there.”

Little is known about the health of the F1 icon aside from occasional updates from trusted confidantes.

Jordan revealed last year that he had been denied a chance to visit Schumacher because only “direct family” were allowed - since then, he claimed that then-Haas driver Mick had reached out to him.

Discussing Mick, Jordan has now said: “I have my own view that I don't want to make public but my guess is that Mick showed elating compassion and the way he spoke about his father when the season was not going particularly well for him. 

“He's been dropped for somebody else, and that's a tough decision, he has another fight to come back and to make his name, climb up that ladder again. 

“I'm quite sure he will do it. Maybe it was the right thing that happened, but it touched me because I felt so much about Michael. 

“I went out of my way to find him, give him his first chance in Spa, didn't last very long but that love for him still lasts and will always do so while I'm able to draw breath.”

The first F1 car that Schumacher drove on his debut, for Jordan's team, was recently sold at auction.

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Jordan told an anecdote: “Well, there's a little story that I'm happy to share, and that is that Mick Schumacher isn't named after his dad like a lot of people seem to think.

“Mick Schumacher is named after a person whose father, Michael, was in total awe of a sportsman who had won five world titles back to back with Honda and that is none other than Mick Doohan. 

“As a result of that, and as a mark of respect, Michael Schumacher called his son Mick. There's a lot going on there and the respect is huge.”