Michael Schumacher health update: Family and friends remain hopeful racer's condition

Michael Schumacher at the 2012 Chinese Grand PrixWikimedia Commons/ emperornie

There has been very little news about retired F1 driver Michael Schumacher's health condition since he was discharged from the hospital last year following the tragic skiing accident in December 2013 that left him with severe brain injuries. His manager Sabine Kehm and wife Corinna have not given recent updates about his condition, and fans are wondering whether the racing champion is on the road to recovery or not. 

Earlier this year, Kehm said the F1 racer was making progress but warned that people must keep the seriousness of his injuries in mind. She also defended how she and the family have handled the media since Schumacher's accident, while debunking claims from media outlets that insist that they have the scoop on the star's current health situation. 

"Michael always had strict rules that we worked out together," Kelm told German newspaper Des Speigel. "He kept his job strictly separate from the private side, and he never deviated from that. There was never a 'home' story, and no journalist ever had his phone number." 

Kehm also detailed how the family was forced to deal with paparazzi who camped out in the woods near their Lake Geneva home and how some would use low-flying helicopters in a desperate attempt to take pictures of Schumacher's home. 

Last month, Kehm said in an interview that they need "a long time" with regard to Schumacher's recovery. The manager added, "He is making progress appropriate to the severity of the situation." 

As Schumacher continues to face the long road to recovery, his family, friends and fans remain hopeful that his condition will improve. His friend, double world champion F1 racer Mika Hakkinen, took to his McLaren blog last month to describe an epic race between him and Schumacher at the 2000 Belgian Grand Prix, detailing how Schumacher skillfully zipped through the circuit. Hakkinen added an epilogue to his post, saying that although he does not know the details about the 46-year-old champ's current condition, he was happy to see a video of Kehm saying that his condition is slowly improving.

"Keep fighting, my old friend," said Hakkinen.