'Michael Schumacher snubbed me after years as friends - he was a superhero villain'
Michael Schumacher had a ruthless attitude in the F1 paddock.
Former Red Bull head of operations Richard Hopkins has opened up about his experiences with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. The duo were well-acquainted during the early years of the German’s career, but they lost contact after years as friends. Hopkins started his F1 career as a mechanic with McLaren in 1992, and he developed a friendship with Schumacher as the future legend started his career. Their catch-ups in the Benetton motorhome became a regular fixture of Grand Prix weekends.
However, as his reputation soared and he added seven World Championships to his collection, his visits to Hopkins stopped. “Michael’s head shifted, and he became more focused,” the former McLaren and Red Bull staffer explained to The Sun. “We all change when we become successful. Some people change more than others, and Michael definitely did. He became more focused, and things got more serious for him. He was always serious, especially in the garage and in the car.
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“Anyone who met him outside of that environment - say, in his motorhome having an espresso - would still say he was very serious. He was dedicated to what he was doing. Maybe Michael just thought he didn’t have time for the coffee chats anymore.
“He was focused on his engineer, his team, everything that needed his attention at the track. Perhaps he felt that if he was going to take time for a coffee, it should be with someone who would be of value to him.”
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Aside from dropping his catch-ups with Hopkins, Schumacher’s mental approach to competition also changed as his career progressed. “He was like a superhero villain," Hopkins continued. "The more Michael won, the more focused he became.
"It was almost like one of those Spider-Man movies, where the villain gets stronger the more energy he absorbs. Michael was like that. The more successful he became, the more focused and driven he got. We’re seeing it with younger drivers now, like Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The more successful they get, the more focused and serious they become.
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“Michael thrived on success and used it to his advantage in a way I think few others did. He and I were very different in that sense. With Michael, you’d see the red Ferrari and immediately know it was him. It created that persona. His aggression on the track wasn’t just noticed by the drivers, it was clear to everyone.”
Schumacher hasn’t been seen in public since his near-fatal skiing accident in December 2013, but his son, Mick Schumacher, has since represented the family name in the F1 paddock, driving two seasons with the Haas squad before carving out a promising career in the World Endurance Championship.
