Inside the lives of the Schumachers: A devastated legend forced to hide away from

After decades in the spotlight, Michael Schumacher went from iconic speed demon to a retired racing recluse following his tragic skiing accident in 2013.

Considered by many to be the greatest driver of all time, Michael has been living a life of secrecy ever since his horror skiing smash – with his family releasing few details about the racing legend.

Meanwhile, his brother Ralf was overshadowed by Michael’s success and was unable to reveal his sexuality for years until he finally declared on social media last weekend that he was in a relationship with a man.

His declaration has firmly thrust the Schumachers back into the public limelight and is the latest drama to hit family, which has seen Ralf’s son estranged from his mother, OnlyFans model Cora, who was married to Ralf prior to his coming out.

Michael’s wife, matriarch Corinna, is working hard behind the scenes to keep the Schumacher clan together as she closely guards his privacy and keeps a iron grip on who is allowed to visit Michael since he suffered his near-fatal brain injury.

MailOnline has taken a closer look at the personal lives of those around Formula One champion Michael, their relationships and the glue binding them together.

A veritable motorsport legend and titan of the Formula One paddock, Michael Schumacher is considered by many to be the greatest driver of all time.

The German maestro won seven World Drivers’ Championships between 1994-2004 – a feat only equalled by Sir Lewis Hamilton – and notched up a dazzling array of records.

He also became one of the most beloved sportsmen in both his native Germany and Italy, thanks to his unparalleled success with iconic marque Ferrari.

But on December 29, 2013, his life was swiftly and irrevocably altered by a tragic accident, which at the time seemed scarcely believable – and cruelly ironic.

Schumacher had expertly piloted the world’s most savagely fast and dangerous machines for more than 15 years, achieving unparalleled glory before retiring in good health in 2012 aged 43.

Just one year later while on a family holiday in the French Alps, the speed demon was caught out in a freak fall mere metres away from a popular ski slope that resulted in critical head injuries.