Why Damon Hill was left out of Michael Schumacher's new Netflix film

Speaking at The Driver Lounge Schumacher Lounge in Monza, Schumacher’s longtime manager Sabine Kehm and Netflix co-producer Janek Romero detailed how the film came together with the full backing of the Schumacher family. Rather than producing a conventional, retrospective documentary, the filmmakers chose to place viewers right into the heat of the moment.

Romero explained that the production embraced a modern, immersive narrative style reminiscent of Drive to Survive. By having commentators and contributors speak in the present tense alongside vivid archival footage, the film bridges the thirty-year gap, making 1994 feel as though it is unfolding in real time.

The ultimate goal was not simply to recount what happened on track, but to delve into Schumacher’s internal world. Romero noted that unraveling Schumacher's emotional state proved to be the project's most rewarding challenge, given his guarded public persona at the time and the necessity of piecing together his thoughts through deep archival research.

Kehm said that the documentary which feature's Schumacher's wife, Corina, unlocked many memories. She said: "It is no doubt. It is very emotional. And sometimes when you watch these old pictures and think about it, suddenly there comes the memories which you even didn't weren't aware that they still were there. That's emotional for me, clearly, and also I can say for Corina. It was really the joy because in the end, basically, it is a happy ending story.

"As we all know, it was a very dramatic season with a lot of downs and and and very complicated emotionally because of your of course, when you think about it and I think you've seen that in the trailer that Corina, when she spoke about and when she remembered, these emotions come up. But overall, it is it's a joy because, as I said, that was a year which I always thought as a year where Michael was driving into people's living rooms all over the world suddenly. And I can really also say he was driving into the heart of a lot of people. And so in the end, I think it's a joyful story."

While purists may wonder what new ground remains to be broken, Kehm emphasised that the modern Formula 1 landscape has introduced a vastly different audience. Millions of newer fans are familiar with Schumacher’s legendary name and his seven titles, yet many remain unaware of the raw drama, controversy, and profound adversity that defined 1994. The documentary provides an entry point for this generation, illustrating how a young driver from a modest karting background was suddenly thrust into the global media spotlight.

Addressing notable absences, Romero and Kehm confirmed that 1994 title rival Damon Hill does not appear as an interview subject. Despite multiple invitations, Hill was focused on his own commitments. However, both filmmakers stressed that his perspective is strongly represented through extensive period footage, and the documentary is deliberately framed not merely around a singular rivalry, but around Schumacher’s personal evolution and resilience.

Ultimately, Schumacher ’94 – The Birth of a Legend presents the portrait of a driver growing up in public under extraordinary pressure. When the film arrives this October, longtime enthusiasts and newcomers alike will get an unprecedented look at the human being behind the helmet during the year that started it all.