A “POSITIVE” health update on Michael Schumacher has been revealed by a Formula One insider.
The motorsport journalist says there are a number of “good signs” surrounding the F1 icon’s latest condition 11 years on from his tragic skiing accident.
A ‘positive’ health update on Michael Schumacher has been revealed by a Formula One insider[/caption]
Stéfan L’Hermitt of L’Equipe, believes there may have been positive progress made by Schumacher across the past 12 months.
He told Le Grand Recit: “I would say he’s not doing well, but he might be getting better because fundamentally we don’t know anything.
“This year, he signed a helmet for a charity event.
“Was it his wife who held his hand? We don’t know exactly, but it’s the first time we’ve had a kind of positive sign, almost a sign of life.”
Back in April, Schumacher signed fellow motorsport great Sir Jackie Stewart’s helmet alongside dozens of other drivers in a touching move that has left many hopeful around his health.
He is said to have signed it with the help of Corinna as an image showed his initials “M.S” on the bottom right of the iconic white helmet.
The signature marked the stricken F1 legend’s only public act since his devastating skiing accident.
L’Hermitt went on to stress that he hasn’t been told about any update regarding Schumacher.
He still believes the Ferrari ace is unable to speak or communicate.
The reporter added: “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.”
Nothing has been seen of Schumacher since his near-fatal crash on Alpine slopes in France on December 29, 2013.
It has also been reported that only three people see him at his secluded home on the Spanish holiday island of Majorca.
Michael’s wife Corinna, 56, has managed to create a tight inner circle in order to keep her husband’s condition private.
Last October stories emerged claiming that Michael had attended the wedding of his daughter Gina, 27, in Majorca.
Guests and staff had to hand over their mobile phones, while security guards made sure no one could snoop on the ceremony or party.
But Michael’s former Benetton teammate Johnny Herbert said: “From what I understand, that was all fake news.“
Corinna has also had to cope with a sickening blackmail plot.
Yilmaz Tozturkan, 53, and his son Daniel Lins, 30, had threatened to publish videos and pictures of Michael unless they were given £12million.
Michael Schumacher’s initials ‘M.S’ can be seen signed on the bottom right of Sir Jackie Stewart’s helmet[/caption]
Security guard Markus Fritsche had copied the private material while working for the Schumachers and sold it to the two men.
In February the trio were found guilty of their part in the blackmail plot.
Fritsche was given a two-year suspended sentence, while Tozturkan was jailed for three years and Lins was given a six-month suspended prison sentence by a German court.
Corinna wanted a harsher sentence for Fritsche.
She said: “What still shocks me most is the massive breach of trust.
“He should receive a punishment for this that deters others from potentially doing the same.”
Schumacher is among the most successful F1 drivers of all time.
He still holds the record of the most world championships alongside Sir Lewis Hamilton.
The German speedster claimed the title in 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.
He also made 155 podiums during his iconic racing career which saw him compete among the sport’s biggest names and teams.
What happened to Michael Schumacher?
MICHAEL Schumacher’s life was hanging by a thread 12 years ago as medics tried desperately to keep him alive after a tragic skiing crash that left him with horrific brain injuries.
The F1 legend was given the best possible treatment as he was put into a medically induced coma, had his body temperature lowered and underwent hours of tricky operations on his brain.
Back in 2013, the retired seven-time world champion, and his then 14-year-old son set off on the Combe de Saulire ski run in the exclusive French resort of Meribel.
Footage from his helmet camera revealed he was not travelling at excessive speed when his skis struck a rock hidden beneath the snow.
He catapulted forward 11.5ft and crashed into a boulder head first that split his helmet into two and left him needing to be airlifted to hospital for two life-saving operations.
At one point his family were told to brace themselves for the worst case scenario as the situation was much worse than originally believed.
At the time, medics said Schumacher was likely to stay in an induced coma for at least 48 hours as his body and mind recovered.
But the coma ended up lasting 250 days – more than eight months.
After he woke up in June 2014, he was discharged from hospital and sent to his home in Lake Geneva to get further treatment.
Since then his wife Corinna and his inner circle of friends have expertly avoided almost anything leaking out about his health status.
Only small amounts of information have been released including reports that Schumacher was in a wheelchair but can react to things around him.
In 2019, it was said that Schumacher was set to undergo breakthrough stem cell therapy in a bid to regenerate and rebuild his nervous system.
Renowned France cardiologist Dr Philippe Menasche, who had operated on him previously, was set to carry out the treatment that would see cells from his heart go to his brain.
Following the treatment at the Georges Pompidou Hospital in Paris, he was said to be “conscious”, although few other details were given about his state.
