F1 icon Michael Schumacher is no longer bed-bound — 12 years on from his horror ski accident.
Little has been publicly disclosed about the 57-year-old’s recovery from a head injury sustained while on holiday in the French Alps in 2013.
Now sources have told a newspaper the seven-time world champion can sit up in a wheelchair.
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He is still cared for around the clock by his wife Corinna and a team of medical staff, The Sun reports.
But his progress means he can be wheeled around his estates in Majorca and close to Lake Geneva.
Since his accident Schumacher has not been seen in public, with speculation he could communicate only by blinking.
But sources claim that is not the case.
One said: “He understands some of the things going on around him, but probably not all of them.”
There were rumours he would appear at his daughter Gina-Maria’s 2024 wedding, but these were proved untrue.
Last year, three former employees of the family were convicted after threatening to release hundreds of pictures of him in his current state.
At the start of the month his daughter shared a rare photo of the whole family before the accident on Schumacher’s birthday, showing the young family smiling with the caption: “The best forever. Happy birthday papa.”
The encouraging update comes months after a close friend shared sad news about the F1 cult hero.
Former Red Bull head of operations Richard Hopkins, who became friends with Schumacher during his racing days, said racing fans will “never see Schumacher again”.
“I haven’t heard anything recently. I understand he has a Finnish doctor, a personal doctor,” Hopkins said to SPORTbible.
“I don’t think we’ll see Michael again. I’m slightly uncomfortable talking about his condition because of how secretive, for the right reasons, the family wants to keep it.
“So I can make a remark, have an opinion, but I’m not in that inner circle.
“I’m not Jean Todt, I’m not Ross Brawn, I’m not Gerhard Berger, who visit Michael. I’m a long way from that.”
— This story originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission
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