The most beautiful thing in life is having the right partner by your side, someone you can share everything with
- the former driver wrote in an Instagram post on July 14.
Schumacher speaks about the relief after coming out
Publicly revealing one’s sexual orientation, especially when it's not heterosexual, is always a stressful moment. Ralf Schumacher and his partner, Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne, both experienced this stress. The German's social media post, in which he shared a picture with the Frenchman, was met with positive reactions.
A flood of supportive messages came from the Formula 1 community.
I'm so glad you've finally found someone you feel really comfortable and safe with
- commented his son, David Schumacher.
He definitely didn’t feel comfortable coming out about his homosexuality, but it shows that the time has come when we can finally take that step and not be afraid. We must continue to fight for everyone to feel accepted and welcome. We all need to be proud of the progress we are making
- noted Lewis Hamilton. "I'm happy for you, Ralf!" - added tennis legend Boris Becker.
Two months have passed since the coming out, and Schumacher has been met with widespread acceptance. Today, he openly admits that it has brought him a great sense of relief. What’s important to him is how well he gets along with his partner, with no issues in communication.
A few weeks after coming out, I feel an indescribable sense of relief. Etienne and I have similar personalities; we are, in a sense, conservatives
- he said in an interview with RTL, which aired excerpts of the conversation. The full interview is set to be broadcast on Sunday.
Schumacher’s partner also admitted that he was just as anxious about the coming out as Ralf. "His statement was a surprise to me. I was a little scared of it all" - he mentioned in the interview.
After coming out, some German media called Schumacher a hypocrite, recalling a 2015 incident when he asked journalists to publish an article titled "Ralf Schumacher: I’m not gay!". His announcement of a relationship with another man did not sit well with his ex-wife.
I regret that Ralf neither included me nor at least allowed me to be part of his decision. When he came out, it felt like a punch to the heart. Coming out always affects the people around you, including the ex-wife with whom you had a child. Today, I feel like I was used during the marriage. I feel like I wasted my best years
- his ex-wife complained to Der Spiegel. Their marriage had been tumultuous and ended in divorce after 14 years. Brinkmann posed for Playboy and later created an account on a platform for adults. Their son, David, has completely cut ties with her.
