SEBASTIAN Vettel has revealed his heartbreaking final conversation with his pal, F1 legend Michael Schumacher, before his horrific accident.
Vettel said “I miss my friend” before he shared that the last time the pair spoke was when he broke the news he was to become a father.
As of December 29, 2023 it has been 10 years since Schumacher suffered life-changing head injuries, hitting his head on a rock while skiing in the French Alps.
Updates on the seven-time World Champion have been few and far between and he has not been seen in public since, with his family keeping information on his health private.
Vettel discussed how his relationship with Schumacher grew “stronger and stronger” in the lead-up to his accident.
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The pair shared the Formula 1 grid between 2010-12 and also formed the German line-up which won six consecutive Race of Champions Nations’ Cup crowns between 2007-2012.
However, Vettel said the friendship between he and Schumacher grew so much that racing “was no longer the biggest thing (they) had in common.”
Not only were they team mates but Vettel described Schumacher as an “extremely important” figure for advice and “inspiration” that has been missing in his life.
“It’s still very, very difficult,” Vettel told RTL, “I don’t want to say to accept it, but to accept that he continues to fight.
“Yes, of course, I only wish him the best. But it’s still very often a topic I think about privately and I think about a lot and that is definitely a recurring theme.
“Of course, the first thoughts immediately went to the last conversation we had together and that couldn’t be more positive. I told him that I was going to be a father and what was coming for us.
He added: "I think I really appreciated it towards the end in that sense, where our relationship became stronger and stronger before the accident.
“Because I think we both got to know each other more and more and racing was no longer the biggest thing we had in common, but life in general and life with and around racing.
He continued: "I believe in recent years he would have been extremely important."
And explained how he has had "so many questions" recently and wishes he could have leaned on his pal for advice and support.
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Vettel acknowledged that for Schumacher's family it is "more difficult" to cope with the tragedy, especially for his son Mick who was very young at the time of the accident.
Vettel retired from Formula 1 after the 2022 season after achieving four World Championships with Red Bull between 2010-13.
Michael Schumacher's ex-Formula One team Mercedes have urged him to "keep fighting" on the day of his 55th birthday.
The birthday message from Mercedes provided some minor updates and suggests the 55-year-old is still battling back to full recovery.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the official Mercedes account wrote: "Happy Birthday, Michael. Today marks the @F1 legend's 55th birthday. #KeepFightingMichael."
