"We get our knickers in a twist about sexuality": Ralf Schumacher's former adversary reacts to the driver coming out as gay

F1 world champion and Ralf Schumacher's rival Damon Hill has said he is happy for the German after he came out as gay through a recent Instagram post. Schumacher raced in the sport for 10 years with several teams such as Williams, Toyota and Jordan, and is the brother of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.

The 49-year-old's announcement caught many by surprise, as he was previously married to Cora Brinkmann from 2001 to 2015. He also has a son, David, who raced in the F3 a few years ago.

Damon Hill, while replying to former McLaren manager Matt Bishops' tweet about Ralf Schumacher's son's acceptance of his father coming out as gay, wrote that people get too upset about sexuality:

"Mate, I never really clicked with Ralf But I'm happy he's happy Sincerely We get our knickers in a twist about sexuality. It's not a choice You either are or you aren't one way or another As long as there is love and respect, it's cool. 'Whatever gets you through the night' Lennon."

Bishop in his tweet had claimed that he got emotional about Ralf Schumacher's Instagram post and his son's comment on it. He called Ralf 'brave' for coming out:

"This is impossible to read with dry eyes: it’s an Instagram post by David Schumacher, whose 6-time #F1 GP winner dad Ralf Schumacher came out as a gay man on Instagram at the weekend. Coming out is never easy, but Ralf has been very brave & David’s reaction is very lovely."

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Ralf Schumacher's son gives his take on his father's sexuality

Ralf Schumacher's son David stated that he was happy for his father finding someone who made him happy, and gave the couple his best.

The 22-year-old commented on the six-time race winner's post:

"I'm very happy that you finally found someone with whom you really feel very comfortable and safe. Whether it is a man or a woman, I am 100% behind you dad, and wish you all the best. Congratulations."

Schumacher had posted a picture on Instagram with his partner, Etienne, who is also his general manager and handles his off-track affairs. The Frenchman hails from Nice and splits his time between the French Riviera and Cape Town, South Africa.

The pair met in Monaco two years ago and continue to spend time together as Schumacher lives in Salzburg, Austria with his son, David.

Their common friend, German actress Carmen Geiss, also expressed her happiness for the couple. She called the post "courageous" and said that "his coming out is not only a personal triumph but also a sign that he is finally able to live and love his true identity without fear or shame."