Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher continues to pique the interest of the worldwide sporting community despite having been out of the spotlight for the past decade. On the tenth anniversary of his tragic ski accident, a fresh new update about his recovery and treatment has been revealed.
Disclaimer: The report has so far not been confirmed by the Schumacher family, and it must be noted that readers must exercise caution when it comes to information that has not been vetted by immediate family members.
According to German publication BILD, the seven-time F1 world champion has been back in the seat of a Mercedes. He was obviously not in the driver's seat, but according to the report, he has been driven around as part of his treatment. Reportedly, his team of doctors believe that regular drives could help stimulate Schumacher's brain particularly when he hears the familiar sounds of a roaring engine.
The sound of an F1 car is extremely different from that of a road car, but the roar of a Mercedes AMG engine is something that is also familiar to the former racer, and it is being used as part of his treatment plan.
It is understood that Schumacher is being cared for 24/7 by a team of around 15 medical professionals along with physical therapists and assistants. He continues to be looked after in the family home by the shores of Lake Geneva, where he was moved six months after the accident. There, he is also surrounded by members of his immediate family including wife Corinna and their children Gina-Maria and Mick.
Ten years since the tragedy that changed Schumacher's life
On December 29, 2013, Schumacher met an accident while skiing off-piste at the Meribel Resort in the slopes of the French Alps. His head reportedly struck a rock when he fell, and despite wearing protective gear, his helmet split and was unable to fully protect his head from the brunt of the impact.
He was reportedly airlifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition but still conscious. Later, doctors decided to put him in an induced coma for 250 days to help the healing process. Then, as his condition became more stable, he was eventually eased out of his coma and moved to the family's home in Switzerland where he continues to receive treatment. They have kept details of his condition under wraps, with only a handful of people able to set eyes on him in the ten years since.
Even after releasing an eponymous Netflix documentary about the racing legend, the family did not reveal much about his condition. Perhaps the most telling clue was only when his son, Mick, who was driving for the Haas Formula 1 Team at the time, said: "I think Dad and me, we would understand each other now in a different way now. Simply because we speak a similar language, the language of motorsport. And that we would have so much more to talk about."
It became clear that Mick is unable to have conversations with his father as he added: "I would give up everything just for that."
Schumacher's legacy keeps him in the spotlight
Despite the fact that Schumacher's family insists on maintaining their privacy, the seven-time world champion's name is dropped on a regular basis especially as more drivers aim to match his dominant performances in the early 2000s. He won his first two championships with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, but his most memorable stint was a five-year winning streak with Scuderia Ferrari from 2000-2004.
He later retired briefly before returning to F1 to help build the Mercedes team. He retired for good in 2012, which paved the way for Lewis Hamilton's move to the Mercedes team where he eventually won six of his seven world championship titles.
Needless to say, Schumacher was referenced each time Hamilton edged closer to any of his records, and the same goes on today with Max Verstappen enjoying his own dominant era.
By 2013, Schumacher had only been fully retired for a short period and was enjoying quality time with his family when the tragedy struck. Ten years later, motorsport fans are still hoping for a miracle and sending messages of support to him and his family.
