Ralf Schumacher has inflamed the row between himself and his ex-wife by branding her a ‘liar’ and leaking WhatsApp messages she sent congratulating his new partner.
Cora Schumacher dropped jaws at the weekend when she claimed she had ‘wasted’ 14 years married to a man who in July came out as gay.
Former F1 driver Ralf revealed last month that he is in a relationship with his French business manager Etienne, with Cora telling Der Spiegel she had been unaware and felt ‘stabbed in the heart’.
Now Ralf has published screenshots of an alleged exchange from last year in which Cora congratulates Etienne on their union, indicating that Cora knew all along – a move she has decried as ‘pathetic’ and ‘illegal’.
In the messages, Cora appears to say ‘congrats’ and ‘so happy for you both’ as she tells Etienne that she was told he had got married to Ralf due to them wearing rings on their right hands.
Ralf published a screenshot of the conversation on WhatsApp as proof that Cora was being dishonest about her shock and grief over his relationship with Etienne.
‘With all the back and forth, I would like to make it clear that Cora congratulated us in September 2023 because she thought we had gotten married,’ he wrote in the Instagram post.
‘As you can see from this message to Etienne personally. I think it’s a shame for Etienne and me that she spreads so many lies. We both just want to be left in peace.’
Dredging up old WhatsApp messages has left Cora fuming; she has hit back vilifying the move as ‘pathetic’ and ‘illegal’.
Cora, 47, a former model and racing driver herself, was married to Ralf between 2001 and 2015 and together they have a son, David, 22, who is also a motorsport racer.
Ralf 49, has been with Etienne for two years having met in Monaco, according to Carmen Geiss, an actress and close friend of the couple. He is the brother of F1 legend Michael Schumacher and his son David has previously shared his support for the relationship.
‘How pathetic does a person have to be to illegally publish private WhatsApp messages in order to conceal the truth?’ Cora wrote on Instagram.
‘And you have been seriously suing me for ten years, claiming that I am not protecting your personal rights, while you shamelessly violate mine, instead of just approaching me and at least telling me the truth now.’
Cora claims that Ralf had introduced Etienne merely as an assistant, not a beau. She added: ‘The WhatsApp was my last attempt to at least find out the truth from him.’
Television celebrity Cora broke down in tears last week as she related to Der Spiegel her heartache over Ralf’s homosexual revelation. She claimed she had been psychologically manipulated by Ralf, who drove in F1 between 1997 and 2007.
‘I wish Ralf had included me or at least let me be part of his decision. It would have been a sign of respect,’ she told Der Spiegel.
‘During his career in F1, there were many rumours in the paddock. I asked him to clarify if what was being said was true, but he always denied it, telling me that I was imagining everything and that maybe I needed psychological help.
‘When he announced it, it was like a stab in the heart. Coming out always affects those around you, including the ex-wife with whom you had a child.
‘Today I feel used during the marriage. I feel like I’ve wasted my best years. I ask myself many questions. Was he honest with me?
‘And there’s something even more important that’s on my mind: did he love me? I trusted him blindly and that’s why his word was law for me.
‘I feel compelled to correct my public image, just like Mr Schumacher has the right to come out. Did he think for a moment about the consequences for me?’
The pair were still believed to be close as he congratulated her on joining the cast of the German version of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in January.
She is a German actress, ex-GQ cover star, former racing driver and television presenter and is also on the adult platform Only Fans.
Cora even took up competitive driving as inspired by Ralf, racing between 2004 and 2018 and claiming victory in the Dubai 24 Hours A2 class as a highlight.
Announcing he was gay last month and sharing a picture of him and Etienne, Ralf wrote: ‘The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything.’
Speaking on the toxicity bubbling up between them, Ralf said at the weekend that it was not putting a strain on him. ‘Definitely not on me, no,’ he told RTL.
His son David has previously expressed support for him, writing: ‘I am very happy that you have finally found someone with whom you really feel that you feel very comfortable and secure, no matter if they are a man or a woman.
‘I am 100 per cent behind you dad and wish you all the best and congratulations.’
