Michael Schumacher's good friend issues sad health update on Formula One legend
Schumacher's friend and former boss, Flavio Briatore, says he finds it incredibly hard to see the bedridden Schumacher.
'If I close my eyes, I see him smiling after a victory,' Briatore told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera earlier this month.
'I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed.
'Corinna and I talk often, though.'
There was some hope Schumacher was 'on the mend' after a report emerged in April that he had contributed his initials, with the help of his wife Corinna, to a crash helmet which was auctioned for charity.
It was his first sign of life in almost 12 year, and it raised the spirits of many.
Schumacher, 56, has not been seen in public since a horrific skiing accident in 2013 left him with serious injuries requiring around-the-clock treatment and assistance.
And Briatore — who enjoyed success alongside the German speedster during his formative years in F1 with Benetton before he moved to become to Ferrari — says he speaks often with Schumacher's family.
He confirmed that the seven-time world title winner is bed-bound.
Briatore's update follows a claim by his ex-wife Elisabetta Gregoraci, who said Schumacher 'doesn't speak'.
'He communicates with his eyes,' she said.
'Only three people can visit him and I know who they are.'
Claims that Schumacher can no longer speak were echoed by his son Mick in a 2021 Netflix documentary about his father's life.
The 26-year-old driver said: 'I think dad and me, we would understand each other now in a different way now.'
In the 2021 documentary, Corinna gave a rare update, revealing Schumacher is still undergoing rehabilitation and is 'different, but here' following his life-changing injuries.
After Schumacher signed the charity helmet, Johnny Herbert (Schumacher's teammate at Benetton between 1994 to 1995) described it as an 'emotional' moment.
He told FastSlots: 'It's wonderful news that Michael Schumacher signed Jackie Stewart's helmet. It was a wonderful moment.
'We haven't seen something emotional like this in years, and hopefully, it's a sign.
'Hopefully, Michael is on the mend.
'It's been a long, horrible journey for the family, and maybe we'll hopefully see him in the F1 paddock soon.'
Schumacher is one of the most successful F1 drivers of all time, winning world titles in 1994, 1995 and five consecutive years from 2000 to 2004.
He also racked up 71 fastest laps and 155 podiums during his racing career.
When asked who the greatest driver of all time is, Briatore told Corriere de Sera: 'I don't know who the greatest is, because we've had Schumacher, Senna, Alonso.
'Now, the number one is definitely (Max) Verstappen. I have two cars at Alpine, so I would like to have two Verstappens.'
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