Schumacher feared death in 'heart stopping' crash

3 years ago 311

Michael Schumacher has revealed helium thought helium was dying successful the contiguous aftermath of his terrifying clang connected the opening thigh of the 1999 British Grand Prix, that near him with a breached leg.

Schumacher crashed heavy connected the opening thigh of the contention astatine Silverstone, aft a hydraulic nonaccomplishment successful his Ferrari near him with nary rear brakes astatine the extremity of the Hanger Straight, the fastest portion of the circuit.

With constricted braking, the beforehand wheels locked up and Schumacher had nary power arsenic helium near the track, skating crossed the gravel trap into the tyre partition astatine 105 km/h.

With nary tethers connected the tyre barrier, the Ferrari ploughed consecutive done and into the factual barrier, ripping the beforehand disconnected the car.

Schumacher's woman gives uncommon update successful trailer for caller documentary

The seven-time satellite champion attempted to ascent retired of his shattered car, but it was instantly evident thing was wrong, arsenic helium slumped successful the cockpit.

Speaking connected the Netflix documentary Schumacher, to beryllium released aboriginal today, the German elaborate what happened successful the contiguous aftermath of the accident.

"The beforehand instrumentality had smashed the cockpit, and it was inactive stuck determination successful there," helium said.

"I couldn't get out, and I was trying to propulsion my limb out, which was trapped. I'm lying determination and announcement that I'm calming down a bit.

"Suddenly I consciousness my heartbeat fading, becoming slower and slower, until abruptly it stops completely.

"I think, 'This is astir apt however it feels erstwhile you're connected your mode upstairs'."

Schumacher had sustained a treble fracture to his little close leg, which required a 90 infinitesimal cognition to insert a pin into the break.

Ironically, astatine the clip Schumacher crashed, the contention had already been stopped to woody with the cars of Jacques Villeneuve and Alex Zanardi, some of which had stalled connected the starting grid.

"The braking connected the rear wheels was zero," said Ferrari spokesperson Claudio Berro successful the hours aft the crash.

Schumacher's wife, Corinna, told the Netflix documentary that the German had been fortunate passim his career.

"That was a infinitesimal erstwhile I thought, 'Oh my God' - but connected the whole, we'd ever made it done his races safely which is wherefore I was definite helium had a fewer guardian angels that were keeping an oculus retired for him," she said.

Schumacher was conscionable 8 points down McLaren's Mika Hakkinen successful the title contention astatine the clip of his accident, which sidelined him from mid-July until the penultimate contention of the play successful mid-October, allowing Hakkinen to clinch his 2nd satellite title.

The documentary besides explores Schumacher's absorption to Ayrton Senna's fatal crash astatine Imola successful 1994.

The Brazilian died erstwhile helium mislaid control astatine the Tamburello bend, slamming into the factual wall. His close beforehand suspension came backmost into the cockpit, piercing his helmet and causing a fatal injury.

Schumacher, who had emerged that play arsenic Senna's biggest rival, was instantly down the Brazilian erstwhile helium crashed.

After winning the race, helium elaborate however then-Benetton brag Flavio Briatore broke the news.

"We went up to the podium, helium told america helium is successful a coma, but coma tin beryllium galore things," Schumacher said.

"It tin beryllium thing which is going to beryllium OK the adjacent day.

"The worst was 2 weeks aboriginal (at the Monaco Grand Prix) erstwhile I truly had to judge that helium is dead.

"It was conscionable thing crazy," helium added softly.

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