Swiss photographer reveals: 'Michael Schumacher drove over my foot'

For forty years, Daniel Reinhard was active in Formula 1. Not as a team member or driver, but as a photographer. The Swiss saw up close all the highs and lows of the world's most important class of motorsport.

In the German magazine Der Spiegel Reinhard looks back on his time in F1. For instance, the photographer was there during the years when Michael Schumacher was the best driver on the grid. It was at Silverstone in 2000 that a curious incident occurred, involving Reinhard and two Schumachers.

Schumacher rolled backwards

The photographer recalls, "I had photographed Schumacher's brother Ralf kneeling on the grid before getting into his Williams. Michael had the starting position ahead of Ralf and then rolled over my foot with his rear wheel, while parking," says Reinhard.

That hurt pretty bad, having a Formula 1 car over your foot like that. A day later, Reinhard went to see his doctor. The doctor naturally asked what had happened. "I told him he wouldn't believe me anyway," Reinhard continues. "He insisted, finally I said: 'Michael Schumacher ran over my foot yesterday'. He laughed very hard. 'That's a great story, but please tell me the truth,' the doctor then said."