The man accused of raping a nurse in Michael Schumacher's home has been named as his son's friend and fellow racing driver Joey Mawson.
Prosecutors have alleged that the 29-year-old raped an unconscious woman twice after a cocktail party in Switzerland back in 2019. Mawson's lawyer said he denies any wrongdoing.
A trial was scheduled for this week to hear claims made in a 1½-page indictment drawn up by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the District of La Côte.
Mawson, who also had a three-year doping ban imposed on him in 2023, failed to show up to court, as first reported by the Sun.
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According to local media outlet 24 Heures, a criminal complaint was first made against Mawson three years ago, as the live-in nurse at the F1 legend's mansion in Gland, Switzerland, joined the cocktail party after she finished her shift.
After consuming some drinks, it is claimed that she began to feel unwell, and she was laid down to rest by others at the party. However, prosecutors then claim that the Australian racing driver Mawson returned to the room and raped her while she lay unconscious.
According to the indictment, none of Schumacher's family members were present at the time of the alleged incident.
German media outlet Bild has claimed that while Mick and Joey were once close friends, they haven't been in contact in several years.
Mawson was once considered to be a rising star in the world of racing, but he returned to his native Australia after his form dropped, ahead of his doping ban in 2023.
Confirmation of his ban read: "Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges the decision of Motorsport Australia to impose a three-year period of Ineligibility on athlete Joseph (Joey) Mawson for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance, Use of a Prohibited Substance and Possession of a Prohibited Substance.
"Mr Mawson, a driver contracted to 88 Racing in the S5000 Series at the time, returned an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) from an In-Competition doping control test on 13 May 2023."
He has denied the charge and claims their relationship was consensual, suggesting that they had previously kissed in a Geneva nightclub.
After Mawson failed to appear at his court date earlier this week, the case was formally opened, but then adjourned to 'a date to be fixed'.
Luc Vaney, Mawson's legal representative, told LADbible: "My client was unable to attend the court hearing scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 2025 in Nyon, Switzerland.
"In order to ensure his right to be heard, I requested a postponement of the proceedings. The Public Prosecutor's Office consented to this request, noting that my client's absence was not wilful, and the Court duly granted it.
"The next hearing is anticipated in early 2026, and I am fully confident in my client's attendance. My client acknowledges that he engaged in consensual sexual relations with the complainant on the evening in question."
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.
Topics: Michael Schumacher, Sport, Crime
James Moorhouse