Michael Schumacher’s close friend and former boss Jean Todt has given a rare update on the F1 legend’s condition after his horror skiing accident in 2013.
Schumacher, 56, has not been seen in public since his near-fatal accident left him with a severe brain injury, and his family have been ruthless about protecting his privacy.
Only a really select few persons are allowed to go to the F1 star, and ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt is one among them, recently revealing that he still makes regular visits to see Schumacher.
Talking to La Repubblica, Todt said: ‘The family has decided not to reply the query (on his condition),’ Todt said. ‘A selection that I respect.
‘I see him repeatedly and with affection, him and his family.
‘Our bond goes beyond the past work. It is an element of my life, which today could be very removed from Formula 1.’
The news comes after Schumacher reportedly made his first public appearance for the reason that accident last 12 months, when he attended his daughter Gina’s wedding.
Gina tied the knot together with her partner Iain Bethke on the family’s luxury villa in Majorca, and it was claimed that Schumacher was there to witness the ceremony.
(Picture: AP)
The event was tightly managed to make sure that Schumacher’s privacy was respected, with guests forced handy over their phones with a purpose to prevent photos of the previous driver leaking to the press or on social media.
However the rumours of his appearance were never confirmed, and his close friend and former F1 driver Johnny Herbert recently dismissed them as ‘fake news’.
Herbert told Flashscore in November: ‘It can all the time be a closed shop. Probably the most recent rumour was he attended his daughter’s wedding. Unfortunately, from what I understand that was all A1 fake news and no truth in it.’
Schumacher is now set to develop into a grandfather, after his daughter announced she was pregnant.
Sharing the news on Instagram, the 27-year-old said: ‘Impatiently awaiting the arrival of our little girl.’
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