Cora Schumacher shares her experiences in her married relationship with Ralf
After Ralf Schumacher's public announcement of his sexuality, his former spouse Cora finally breaks her silence. In an emotional interview with "Der Spiegel", she speaks openly about the challenging phases in their marriage and denies allegations of a fake marriage.
More than a month after Ralf's coming-out, Cora shares her feelings for the first time. She expresses her disappointment that she wasn't informed beforehand about Ralf's decision. "I was bloody hurt," she admits. "Because coming out impacts not just the person, but also their loved ones, including the ex-wife with a shared child. I wish Ralf had included me or at least let me know. It would have felt like a sign of respect."
She also discusses the dark corners of their shared life and how they still haunt her today. She feels the need to correct her public image, just as Ralf has the right to come out, the 47-year-old explains. What bothers her most is the labels the tabloids have stuck on her - like "Queen of the pit lane" or "sexy Cora".
From the beginning, she was forced into a predetermined role as the counterpart to Corinna Schumacher, Michael Schumacher's wife. While she was pressured into this "erotic" image due to marketing appeal, her sister-in-law was portrayed as "Mother Teresa", the devoted wife.
"Maybe you're too fat..."
As Ralf's success grew and he spent more time away for work, Cora felt trapped in a "golden cage". Especially after the birth of their son David, she felt increasingly lonely and craved more affection and attention. She blamed herself for her misfortune: "Maybe I'm too fat, too ugly, or just not good enough," she thought at 24. Eventually, she weighed only 45 kg and underwent various beauty treatments.
She finds it "bloody awful" to be reduced to her appearance or defined by it, but at the time, it gave her the much-needed self-confidence she lacked. "What gives you self-worth? Something you're good at. Something you enjoy. And for me, it was just my appearance left."
Schumacher denies accusations of a fake marriage
Regarding the numerous rumors about Ralf's sexuality during their marriage, Cora explains today: "I think every marriage has its doubts and uncertainties. I just convinced myself: Everything's great, you have a beautiful life, a good status. You have a roof over your head, a man by your side, a child. I think I just chose to ignore it." She admits that she too had doubts at some point, but Ralf always denied it. "Consequently, I felt more and more conflicted because I no longer knew if my mind was playing tricks on me," Cora explains. "But Ralf was always my most trusted advisor. I believed him blindly. That's why his word was law for me."
She strongly refutes the allegation that their marriage was a sham or a business arrangement. "So if I'm told today that I entered a fake marriage or had an arrangement - no, I didn't." She is particularly disappointed in Ralf: "And I still don't understand why he hasn't done anything at all to clear my image in public and against all this mockery, this ridicule, these malicious rumors about me..."
Despite the rumors about Ralf's sexuality during their marriage, Cora stood by him, choosing to ignore the doubts and focusing on their happy life. However, after Ralf's public announcement of his homosexuality, she felt disrespected and wished he had included her in the process.
Cora's experiences of being reduced to her appearance and the labels assigned to her in the media are not unlike the challenges Ralf faced with his sexuality.
