oh hey this post blew up! so. while the above holds true, it is also important to note that ralf schumacher is not actually a good person. it does not erase that his coming out is definitely going to have an impact on the sport, and hopefully get some important conversations going. his coming out also does not erase that he's a bigoted piece of shit.
if you want to know more about queer drivers in motorsports:
lella lombardi: the only female driver to ever score points in f1. she drove in 17 grands prix. her presence in f1 was trailblazing for women and made the sport more accessible to them. she was also a lesbian in an openly gay relationship with another woman.
mike beuttler: often described as the first openly gay f1 driver.
roberta cowell: she was a racing driver and also the first british trans woman to undergo gender affirming surgery.
you can read more about the three of them here.
i understand the need to upload ralf schumacher as some kind of queer hero in the current era of motorsports. it's sad that we only have three examples other than him. but that does not mean he is free from accountability, or that his disgusting views on black people, women, etc. should be ignored. please keep that in mind when talking about him. also note that he is very much protected by his surname and the fact of being michael schumacher's brother. he has privilege that many, many queer people do not, and that includes possibly queer younger drivers. that privilege has to be an important part of any conversation about him.
