Michael Schumacher says he is enjoying Formula One from the perspective of a spectator but that doesn’t mean he’s got his feet up in retirement.
His new life may not be revolving around lap times, grid positions and Grand Prix victories, but he is a man in demand.
He’s been jetting around the world from appointment to appointment, sometimes for Ferrari for whom he is acting as an adviser, or perhaps as, just recently, for a United Nations campaign.
At the start of this week the German was in London taking part in a campaign for road safety after a stopover in Poznan, Poland, for an event organised by Shell to mark the 60th anniversary of the company’s partnership with Ferrari.
The seven-time world champion retired last year after 16 seasons in the sport, and says he is enjoying his time away from the circuit.
”I’m not missing racing at all at the moment,” he said in Poznan. ”I am leading a good life and I am a pretty happy man. Of course, I had good times in the past but now I have a better time, that’s for sure.”
Schumacher (38), who won 91 grands prix, watched the recent Bahrain Grand Prix while on holiday in Miami with his wife, Corinna, and their two children and admitted it was strange watching races on television.
”It’s funny, but it’s normal,” he said. ”Watching is interesting, seeing it from a different side. But I’m not looking it to learn something, it’s not my ambition. I’m looking to just enjoy it with my family and my friends together, and enjoy the event as you do.”
Sun-tanned and relaxed from his holiday in Florida, Schumacher was doing his bit in London for UN global road-safety week.
”Road crashes kill on the scale of malaria or tuberculosis, yet the international community has not woken up to this horrific waste of life,” Schumacher said.
”That is why I strongly support the Make Roads Safe campaign and the proposal that the United Nations organise a first-ever UN ministerial conference to tackle this preventable loss of life.”
Questions on Formula One were not welcome during Schumacher’s three-minute interview slots with the media, as his press spokesperson, Sabine Kehm, was quick to point out.
”That question was not agreed,” she said as a reporter from Sky television dared to ask the ex-champ what he thought about British Formula One shooting star Lewis Hamilton.
”A very talented driver. I am not surprised that he has been so successful [with three podium places in the first three races of the season]. But I am amazed at his consistency,” Schumacher replied.
Then it was back to road safety.
Schumacher says he has been explaining the rules of traffic safety while taking walks with his children.
About 1,2-million people are killed each year around the world — and 90% of all fatal accidents are in Third World countries.
It’s time for politicians to give global road safety the attention it deserves, he says.
”In the end, it comes down to how many road fatalities we are prepared to tolerate,” he said in a statement on behalf of the campaign.
”And, at the moment, the answer from the international community seems to be that we should tolerate one death every 30 seconds. There is a better alternative and that is to begin to take action to make roads safe.”
Interviews over and a few autographs signed, it was time for Schumacher to fly back to his home in Switzerland. Back to his new life. — Sapa-dpa