Joey Mawson Cleared of Rape at Schumacher Home

Two-time Australian Drivers' Champion Joey Mawson has been acquitted by a Swiss court of raping a nurse at Michael Schumacher's Geneva residence in 2019. The 30-year-old maintained the encounter was consensual and was cleared after the judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to secure a conviction.

Why it matters:

The verdict closes a six-year legal ordeal that threatened to derail Mawson's career and drew unwelcome attention to the Schumacher family's private home. For a driver attempting to rebuild his reputation after serving a three-year anti-doping ban that recently expired, the acquittal removes a significant legal barrier to returning to professional motorsport.

The Details:

• The alleged incident occurred following a night of drinking at the seven-time Formula 1 champion's Geneva home in 2019.
• Mawson's defense team, led by lawyer Luc Vaney, provided video evidence that the court accepted as proof the complainant was conscious, ultimately supporting the driver's claim of consensual activity.
• The nurse left the courtroom in tears and later released a statement saying she felt attacked and was subsequently fired, expressing devastation that the verdict effectively branded her a liar.
• Mawson first connected with the Schumacher family through Mick Schumacher during his stint in European junior open-wheel racing before returning to Australia to compete in categories including Supercars.

What's next:

With the criminal case behind him and his anti-doping suspension now expired, Mawson is exploring a return to professional racing. His legal team emphasized that he carries no criminal record, though the highly public nature of the allegations and trial may still complicate his efforts to secure drives and rehabilitate his standing within the motorsport community.