A French journalist has given a positive health update on Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, claiming he is “doing better” after his catastrophic skiing accident in 2013.
The German racer suffered severe brain trauma when he crashed into a rock while skiing with his then-14-year-old son, Mick, who himself raced in F1 between 2021 and 2022.
While he was wearing a helmet, the former Ferrari driver’s crash was so severe that he suffered major skull trauma despite wearing the protective equipment. It is said he could have died had he not been wearing the helmet.
Since the horrifying accident, Schumacher’s family have kept his health utterly private and away from the public eye.
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The 56-year-old is said to be non-verbal and requires constant attention from family or doctors.
The Daily Mail revealed earlier this year that Schumacher signed a crash helmet to raise money for Sir Jackie Stewart’s Race Against Dementia charity, with the help of his wife, Corinne, in a positive sign for the German’s condition.
A French journalist has given a positive health update on Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, claiming he is “doing better” after his catastrophic skiing accident in 2013
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And the latest health update comes from French L'Equipe journalist Stefan L'Hermitte, who claims the F1 legend is “doing better”.
“I would not say he is doing well, but maybe that he is doing a bit better, because fundamentally we don't know anything,” he told RTL.
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A French journalist claimed Michael Schumacher is 'doing better'
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“The only real news comes from his family, and that's always very important, because the news that comes from his family is the good news. The news that comes from outside is probably not worth much.
“This year, he signed the helmet. It was for a charity event. Did his wife hold his hand? We don't know exactly, but it's the first time that we have had a positive sign, almost a sign of life.
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“But the fact is, we still haven't seen him walk, and apparently, he still can't speak. So we're still dealing with someone who is still breathing, who might have some small interactions with his family, but we can't say for sure that he's doing well.”
Schumacher, who holds the record with Lewis Hamilton for the most Drivers’ Championship victories with seven, has not made a public appearance since his devastating accident.
Earlier in the year, Felix Gorner, a reporter for German broadcaster RTL, revealed that Schumacher’s condition was not improving, and that he “can no longer communicate verbally”.
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“The situation is very sad,” he said. “He needs constant care and is completely dependent on his caregivers. And he can no longer express himself verbally.
“Currently, there's a maximum of 20 people who can approach Michael.”
Michael Schumacher won seven Drivers' Championships during his legendary Formula One career
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Following the crash, Schumacher was placed in a coma and underwent two major brain surgeries. He wasn’t even deemed safe to move until the following year.
During his 18 full seasons in F1, between 1992 and 2012, the icon spent 11 at Ferrari, winning five consecutive Drivers’ Championships.
It is a level of consistency that the Scuderia has failed replicate since the German’s departure in 2006.
In fact, Ferrari have won just one Drivers’ Championship since, courtesy of Kimi Raikkonen in 2008.