Ralf Schumacher, the legendary German former F1 driver who came out as gay in 2024, announced that he and his partner, Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne, will marry later this year. The news was first shared by German publication Bild, which reported that the couple is set to have their nuptials over three days in Saint-Tropez in May.
"We are pleased to confirm that Ralf Schumacher and his partner Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne will be getting married," the couple's official joint Instagram announcement reads. "Both are delighted by the many kind congratulations they have received. Ralf and Étienne will not comment on any further personal details and kindly ask that their privacy be respected. Thank you for your understanding."
Schumacher's ex-wife, Cora Schumacher, whom he was married to for 13 years, told Bild that she's happy for the couple, saying that she and her new husband Steven "wish Ralf and Étienne all the best and much happiness."
Schumacher is one of only four out LGBTQ+ Formula One drivers; that list includes Mike Beuttler (who died "semi-closeted"), Mário de Araújo Cabral (who came out as gay at 75 in 2009), and Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi (the most successful woman driver in F1). Bousquet-Cassagne won six Grand Prix races while competing in Formula One, starting in 1997 and retiring in 2007.
Schumacher came out in 2024 in a post on Instagram, showing him and his partner looking at a sunset, with the caption: "The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything.”
When Schumacher first came out as gay, his ex-wife told German publication Dar Spiegel that he didn't tell her before he planned to announce his sexuality to the world, saying it was a "stab to the heart" and that she felt "used" in their marriage. “Robbed of my best years. Was he honest with me? And most importantly, did he even love me?," she asked the publication.
But it seems like the two have mended their relationship over the years and are in a much better spot as she sends her love to the happy couple.
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