Michael Schumacher still watches F1 races on TV, making good progress in his recovery, reveals former Ferrari boss
Updates on the condition of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, who suffered a traumatic brain injury following a skiing mishap in 2013, have been scarce. His former boss at Ferrari, however, has come out to share a rare update revealing that the 50-year-old ace racer is making good progress in his recovery.
Jean Todt, the head of F1's governing body FIA and one of Schumacher's closest confidantes, said in a recent interview with Radio Monte-Carlo that the F1 star was "making good progress".
"I'm always careful with such statements, but it's true," he said, adding that he "saw the race together with Michael Schumacher at his home in Switzerland." He continued, "Michael is in the best hands and is well looked after in his house. He does not give up and keeps fighting."
Todt said Schumacher still has difficulty in communicating and that their friendship is not the same but that he knows the 50-year-old would not be giving up. "His family is fighting just as much and of course our friendship can not be the same as it once was," he said. "Just because there's no longer the same communication as before. He continues to fight. And his family is fighting the same way."
The most successful driver in the history of Formula 1, Schumacher was involved in a tragic accident just a year after he retired from the motorsport for a second time. He had been skiing with his then-14-year-old son Mick at the Méribel Resort in the French Alps in December 2013 when he hit his head on a rock. He suffered severe head injuries and had to be placed in a coma for more than four months, and has not been seen in public since.
His family has kept the details of his condition and health closely guarded, though they did provide a rare update during the celebration of his 50th birthday on January 3. "You can be sure that he is in the very best of hands and that we are doing everything humanly possible to help him," a statement read. "Please understand if we are following Michael's wishes and keeping such a sensitive subject as health, as it has always been, in privacy."
Further updates came from 'Schumacher,' a documentary on the life of the five-time Formula 1 world champion and his terrible skiing accident which is set to release in Germany later this year.
In the trailer, which was shown to audiences at the Cannes Film Festival, F1 boss Bernie Eccleston, said, "He is not with us at the moment. But when he gets better, he'll answer all the questions."
His father Rolf, and his wife Corinna also make appearances, with the latter saying, "Michael is a fighter and will not give up."
Todt said he would be respecting the family's wishes to keep Schumacher's condition out of the spotlight but did reveal he was "very well taken care of" by his family in their house between Geneva and Lausanne. "In the end, only positive thoughts help him," he said. "I and his whole family are positive in the mental sense, despite the circumstances."