Ralf Schumacher Weds Partner Etienne in St Tropez — As Ex-Wife's Cutting Remark Steals the Headlines

Just 19 months after coming out as gay, former Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher has gone all the way — tying the knot with his partner Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne in a sun-drenched ceremony on the French Riviera. But while the happy couple were busy sailing off into the sunset on a speedboat once owned by Sir Elton John, it was a sharp-tongued comment from Ralf's ex-wife Cora that ended up grabbing the spotlight.

Ralf, 50, and Etienne, 36, exchanged vows in an intimate yet lavish ceremony in the iconic St Tropez on Sunday, surrounded by close friends and family. The couple, who went public with their relationship in late 2024 shortly after Ralf made his coming-out announcement, have wasted absolutely no time — from first going public to walking down the aisle in under two years.

In a particularly touching moment, Ralf's son David, 24 — whom he shares with his ex-wife Cora — served as best man on the day, signalling that at least one member of his former family is firmly in his corner.

To round off what sounds like the most glamorous of weekends, the newlyweds cruised the Mediterranean aboard a speedboat with quite the celebrity pedigree, having previously been owned by none other than Elton John himself. Not a bad way to start married life.

Not everyone was quite so effusive with their congratulations, however. Cora Schumacher, who was married to Ralf from 2001 to 2015, offered what can only be described as a backhanded blessing when German magazine BILD came calling for a reaction.

The racing metaphor was not exactly subtle, and the remark was widely interpreted as a pointed dig at her ex-husband's sexuality. It's not the first time Cora has made her feelings known — when Ralf first came out, she reportedly burned her wedding dress and claimed publicly that she had "wasted her best years" on him. Safe to say, there won't be a joint Christmas card this year.

For Ralf and Etienne, the wedding wasn't just a private celebration — it was practically a television event. Since May 2026, the couple have been the subjects of a multi-part docuseries on Sky Germany called Ralf & Etienne: We Say Yes, which follows them behind the scenes as they planned their big day.

The show lifts the lid on their daily lives, family dynamics and business ventures — including the rather romantic detail that the couple named a wine from one of Ralf's vineyards after Etienne. It's the sort of gesture that makes you forget, just for a moment, about the ex-wife burning wedding dresses in protest.

Ralf, of course, remains one of the most recognisable names in motorsport — not just as a former F1 driver in his own right, but as the younger brother of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. He now works as a senior Formula 1 analyst for Sky Germany, and the docuseries sits neatly alongside that broadcasting career.

For UK audiences, Ralf Schumacher has always been a familiar face — both from his years racing in Formula One and from his continued presence in the sport as a pundit and commentator. His very public coming-out in late 2024 was met with widespread support from the racing world, and his wedding marks another significant milestone in what has been a remarkably open and joyful new chapter of his life.

Whether Cora's latest remarks will cause any further family friction — or simply become a footnote in what is otherwise a genuinely lovely story — remains to be seen. For now, the focus is firmly on the newlyweds, their Riviera romance, and whatever Etienne-named vintage they'll be uncorking to celebrate.