The German race ace suffered catastrophic head trauma in the accident in the French Alps on December 29 2013 and his health condition has remained a closely-guarded secret ever since. Close friends and family insist they are respecting Schumacher’s wishes to keep his health a private matter and have revealed little about the 51-year-old’s progress since he came out of a medically-induced coma six months after the accident.
But close friend and mentor Jean Todt, who was Schumacher’s boss on the all-conquering Ferrari F1 team, has given a glimpse of the current situation.
The 74-year-old Frenchman said: “This is a question on which I am going to be extremely reserved.
“I see Michael very often – once or twice a month.
“My answer is the same all the time – he keeps fighting.
“He is very well cared for and in a place that is very comfortable.
“We can only wish for him and his family that things get better.”
Mr Todt said the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across Europe had not had an impact on Schumacher’s health.
Mr Todt, who is now head of the world motorsports’ governing body the FIA, said: “He has a very good environment and he is in a place that has adequate and comfortably furnishings and fittings.”
Schumacher, whose record seven world championship titles was matched by British racer Lewis Hamilton when he won the Turkish Grand Prix last Sunday, is now keenly following this rise of his son Mick through the motorsport ranks.
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Mr Todt said: “Of course he’s following that.
“He will probably drive in Formula 1 next year. That will be a great challenge.
“People will be thrilled to see a new Schumacher at the highest level in motorsport.”
Schumacher Snr’s former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa gave a rare update into the former champion’s condition earlier this year.
He said: “I know how he is, I have information.
“The main thing about all this is that we know his situation is not easy.
“He is in a difficult phase but we need to respect him and the family.”
(Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg)