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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
World
Justin Kelly

Never-seen Michael Schumacher photos emerge amid surprise Drive To Survive appearance

Formula 1 fans were surprised an delighted to see never-seen-before photos of former champion Michael Schumacher during the latest series of hit Netflix show Drive To Survive.

It's been almost ten years since the German icon was last seen in public before his devastating skiing accident in late 2013. News of his condition has been closely guarded by his family ever since.

But ahead of the start of the new F1 season, fans have been given a sneak peak behind the curtain of season five of Netflix's smash hit series Drive to Survive, with rare photos of Schumacher featuring in one of the episodes.

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Candid shots of the seven-time F1 champion will no doubt be lapped up by viewers, but it's who's in the photos with Schumacher that will truly drop jaws.

They pop up in an episode centred around Schumacher's son Mick, yet the baby boy in both pictures is actually Max Verstappen.

In one snap, Schumacher is seen holding both Max and his infant daughter Gina-Maria in his lap, while another sees him playfully interacting with the future back-to-back world champion as a toddler.

(Netflix)

During the episode, Verstappen talks about growing up alongside the Schumacher family, as his father Jos was team-mates with Schumacher during their time at Benetton.

"We used to go on holidays when we were little together, the two families, and these kind of memories will stay with me," the Dutchman explains.

(Netflix)

Old interview footage shows the two dads light-heartedly suggesting they'd be reluctant to let their sons compete in F1, with Michael joking: "I think this could be the first time we have an argument if our two would be racing."

Max, who's looking to win his third-straight F1 title this year, says afterwards that it's "amazing" that he and Mick have followed in their fathers' footsteps, adding that Michael is "a very proud dad for sure."

Max is now a two-time world champion while Mick Schumacher is attached to Mercedes as their third driver having been replaced as one of their two drivers by Haas before the beginning of this season.

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