Family of F1 legend supports new film

CANNES, France - Former world champion Formula One driver Michael Schumacher is the subject of a new documentary by German filmmakers in a production fully supported by his family, reports said on Monday.

Produced by Hamburg-based B/14 Film and directed by Michael Wech and Hanns-Bruno Kammertons, the documentary includes never-before-seen archive footage and interviews with Schumacher's family and competitors.

Film industry magazine Variety reported the film will be released by the end of the year.

Speaking for the Schumacher family, Sabine Kehm told Variety the seven-time Formula One world champion's "outstanding career deserves to be celebrated", adding: "We are happy this film is in the hands of such ambitious and sensitive professionals".

Already in post-production, the documentary will be sold at this week's Cannes film festival, where buyers are eagerly awaiting another sporting epic in the vein of Asif Kapadia's Diego Maradona, about the legendary Argentine soccer player.

Schumacher, who turned 50 in January, sustained serious head injuries in a skiing accident in December 2013 and has not been seen in public since, with 2019 marking 25 years since his first World Championship win.

The new film is unlikely to touch on the state of the German champion's health, details of which have been kept a closely guarded secret since the accident that shocked the world and saw him plunged into a medically-induced coma, from which he later emerged.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Mick Schumacher is trying his hardest to emulate the professional work ethic that helped his father win a record seven Formula One titles and 91 races.

Schumacher is in ninth place in the F2 standings with 16 points for his Prema Racing team after races at Bahrain and Azerbaijan.

As part of Ferrari's driver academy, Schumacher gets advice from former world champion Sebastian Vettel and young star Charles Leclerc.

Schumacher made the most of his chance to test drive a Ferrari F1 car in April, when he impressed by posting the session's second fastest time behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

"I am obviously more than excited and would like to thank Ferrari and Alfa Romeo for giving me this opportunity," Schumacher said after his test run.

Schumacher won the European Formula 3 championship in 2018, taking a total of eight wins and 14 podiums.

Agence France-Presse