In the world of celebrity breakups, few stories have been as messy—and as public—as the split between former Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher and his ex-wife Cora.
And now, years after their divorce, Cora is finally speaking out about the rumors that have haunted her for over a decade.
Marriage, Money, and a Wild Rumor
Cora and Ralf tied the knot in a glamorous ceremony in Salzburg back in 2001.
They were together for 13 years and share a son, David, who’s now 23.
But their relationship has since taken a dramatic turn—especially after Ralf publicly came out as gay in July last year and introduced his partner, French business manager Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne.
That revelation sparked a flurry of headlines, with Cora later saying she felt like she had wasted her best years on someone who wasn’t honest with her from the start.
She even went so far as to burn her wedding dress in response to the announcement.
A Feud That’s Far from Over
Since then, tensions between the former couple have continued to simmer.
Cora made a public plea for Ralf to leave her alone, saying she needed space to “heal in peace.”
And in her most recent media appearances, it’s clear the wounds are still fresh.
Speaking to German tabloid BILD, Cora confirmed that Ralf remains blocked on her phone.
“Our falling out is water under the bridge,” she said, “but I’m not talking to him. He’s still blocked.”
Opening Up on ‘Hey Olli!’
During a candid conversation on comedian Oliver Pocher’s show Hey Olli!—with whom Cora admitted to having had a brief fling—she addressed a particularly strange rumor that’s followed her for years: that she was paid to marry Ralf as part of a 10-year contract.
Pocher, with a bit of dramatic flair, described the gossip: “Cora was basically assigned to him; it was all set up like a deal.
When the ten years were up, so was the marriage.”
But Cora shut that down with a laugh, saying, “If that were true, I’d be rich by now.”
“I Wouldn’t Have Thrown My Life Away”
Still, when asked if she had any suspicions about Ralf during their marriage, Cora admitted that questions did come up.
“Of course I asked a few things,” she said. “But I didn’t know. If I had, I would never have married him.
I wouldn’t have thrown my life away—not for any amount of money. Those were my best years.”
She’s previously told BILD that the idea of their marriage being fake hurt her deeply.
“There was no non-disclosure agreement or secret deal,” she insisted. “If there had been, I never would’ve said ‘I do’ in the first place.”
Keeping the Schumacher Name—for Now
Cora is currently in therapy, trying to move on from the emotional chaos of the past few years.
But don’t expect her to drop the Schumacher surname anytime soon.
“Why should I?” she said. “I’d be stupid to give it up. As long as I can still make money from it.”