Audi boss Jonathan Wheatley opens up on his relationship with Michael Schumacher

Kick Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley claimed that he considered former seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher a friend after working with the German driver during their Benetton days. The former Ferrari driver joined Benetton in 1991 after impressing everyone with his sole race stint with Jordan at Spa that year.

Schumacher had initially started at the Flavio Briatore-led team alongside former three-time F1 world champion Nelson Piquet and did enough to secure a long-term contract with them. After securing his first victory in 1992, he and the team won the championships in 1994 and 1995 before he jumped to Ferrari in 1996.

Speaking with Pit Chronicle, Wheatley, who recently joined as the team principal of Kick Sauber, which will become Audi next year, revealed that he had worked with Michael Schumacher during his time at Benetton and said:

"I was very young, 22 or 23, I think, when I started at Benetton. I did one race with Roberto Moreno, and then the next race I was carrying a seat out for this guy called Michael Schumacher, and that was at Monza.

"It was a pivotal part of my career I think because you suddenly realize if you had a talisman, you had a driver of that ability in the team, you just saw this team that wasn't super well connected suddenly just joining up, having this person that you wanted to do your absolute best for."

Wheatley further gave a rare insight into his dynamic with the German driver and added:

"Michael was a tremendous person to work with, but also I consider him a friend. I haven't seen him for a while, but he still checked in. And actually, that's one of the things with most of the great drivers is they're nice people as well, you just don't always see it."

Michael Schumacher went on to achieve greater heights in Ferrari and added five more Drivers' championships to his name before calling time on his career initially in 2006 and later in 2012.

In 2013, Schumacher unfortunately suffered head injuries from a skiing accident that happened during a family holiday, which left him in a medically induced coma for years to come.

Flavio Briatore provides insight into his relationship with Michael Schumacher

Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore stated that he preferred to remember Michael Schumacher's smile in F1 rather than his bedridden struggles since the accident.

As per The Mirror, the Italian reflected on his dynamic with the German and said:

"If I close my eyes, I see him smiling after a victory. I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed. Corinna and I talk often, though."

There have been minimal updates regarding Michael Schumacher's progress, as his family has preferred to remain silent on the subject for years.