Michael Schumacher’s condition will ‘slowly and surely improve’ according to his close friend Jean Todt in a rare update on the F1 legend.
The driver, 52, suffered severe head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013 and has not been seen since in public.
Todt, the president of racing body the FIA who led Ferrari for five of Schumacher’s championship titles, said he has regularly seen the German since the accident.
Michael Schumacher’s condition will ‘slowly and surely improve’ according to his close friend Jean Todt
Todt, the president of racing body the FIA who led Ferrari for five of Schumacher’s championship titles, said he has regularly seen the German since the accident
He told Bild: ‘I’ve spent a lot of time with Corinna since Michael had his serious skiing accident on December 29, 2013. She is a great woman and runs the family.
‘She hadn’t expected that. It happened suddenly and she had no choice. But she does it very well. I trust her, she trusts me.
‘Thanks to the work of his doctors and the cooperation of Corinna, who wanted him to survive, he survived – but with consequences.’
Todt spoke ahead of the release of the much-anticipated Netflix documentary about Schumacher’s career which features interviews with family members and unseen footage of the racing icon.
A trailer released last month shows his wife Corinna and their two children Gina and Mick, who followed in his father’s footsteps into F1, talking about the racer.
Corinna, 52, says in the film about her husband of 26 years: ‘I just felt that he is somebody special.
‘I think that he is simply very strong mentally. Extremely strong. He still shows me how strong he is every day.’
Michael Schumacher’s family have paid tribute to his ‘strong’ and ‘special’ character in the trailer for a new Netflix documentary about the legendary racing driver
Schumacher, which will be released on September 15, tells the story of the German Formula One champion’s career
Corinna, 52, says in the highly-anticipated film that Michael ‘still shows me how strong he is every day’. Pictured at their wedding in 1996
Mick, 22, adds: ‘When I look at him I think, “I want to be like that”.’
The trailer shows archive footage of Schumacher’s career, from his days karting as a young boy to his record seventh F1 championship in 2004.
The documentary promises unseen material showing the ‘many facets of his multi-layered personality’, with brother Ralf, Sebastian Vettel, David Coulthard and Bernie Ecclestone also featuring.
The portrait of the racing legend is ‘the only film supported by his family’ and was described by his press officer and manager Sabine Kehm as the ‘family’s gift to their beloved husband and father’.
She added: ‘Michael Schumacher has redefined the professional image of a racing driver and has set new standards.
Mick Schumacher, who followed in his father’s footsteps into F1, said he wanted to emulate his father’s success
The documentary is ‘the only film supported by his family’ and is described as a ‘gift’ to the driver who has not been seen publicly since 2013. Pictured: Michael’s daughter Gina
The trailer shows archive footage of Schumacher’s career, from his days karting as a young boy to his record seventh F1 championship in 2004
Schumacher, who won 91 Grand Prix before retiring from Formula One in 2012, suffered a serious head injury on December 29, 2013
‘In his quest for perfection, he spared neither himself nor his team, driving them to the greatest successes. He is admired all over the world for his leadership qualities.
‘He found the strength for this task and the balance to recharge at home, with his family, whom he loves idolatrously. In order to preserve his private sphere as a source of strength, he has always rigorously and consistently separated his private from his public life.
‘This film tells of both worlds. It is his family’s gift to their beloved husband and father.’
Schumacher, who won 91 Grand Prix before retiring from Formula One in 2012, suffered a serious head injury on December 29, 2013 in the French Alps and his state of health remains secret.
Netflix said the documentary does not focus on his health.
The documentary promises unseen material showing the ‘many facets of his multi-layered personality’
The documentary was set to be released in 2020 following filming in 2019, but was delayed several times
Schumacher’s father Rolf says in the trailer for the documentary: ‘Even as a child he knew what he wanted’
‘The greatest challenge for the directors was certainly to find the balance between independent reporting and consideration for the family,’ said Vanessa Nocker who directed the film along with Hanns-Bruno Kammertons and Michael Wech.
‘Corinna Schumacher herself was our greatest support in this.
‘She herself wanted to make an authentic film, to show Michael as he is, with all his ups and downs, without any sugar-coating.
‘She was great and brave enough to let us do what we wanted, and so we respected and kept her boundaries. A very inspiring, warm woman who made a lasting impression on all of us.’
The documentary does not focus on Schumacher’s health after he suffered severe head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013 (pictured L-R brother Ralf, mother Elisabeth, Schumacher, and father Rolf)
Michael Schumacher suffered devastating brain injuries in a skiing accident in 2013 and his condition has been a closely guarded secret ever since
Schumacher was most famous for his career at Ferrari between 1996 and 2006, where he won five consecutive championships, having previously won two titles with Benetton.
He retired in 2006, but returned to racing four years later with Mercedes. He retired for a second time in 2012 after two unsuccessful seasons with the team.
Following an unsuccessful two year stint, Schumacher once again retired.
The documentary was set to be released in 2020 following filming in 2019, but was delayed several times by producers because of the volume of material they had to edit.