Michael Schumacher’s pal reveals fresh hope stricken F1 legend is ‘on the mend’ after his first public act in 12 years

4 hours ago 22

MICHAEL Schumacher’s former teammate is hopeful that the Formula One icon is “on the mend” after his first public act in 12 years.

Schumacher, 56, signed fellow motorsport great Sir Jackie Stewart’s helmet alongside dozens of other drivers in a touching move that has left many hopeful around his health.

Auto racing helmet with signatures and tartan design resting on a blue race car.

Michael Schumacher’s intials ‘M.S’ can be seen signed on the bottom right of Sir Jackie Stewart’s helmet[/caption]

Johnny Herbert at the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia.

Michael’s teammate Johnny Herbert said the signature could suggest the F1 icon is ‘on the mend’[/caption]

Michael Schumacher and Corinna Schumacher skiing in the Alps.

The seven-time F1 world champion has not been seen in public since he suffered a serious head injury after a skiing accident in December 2013.

His wife Corinna has spent the years since creating a private world around Michael as he continues his recovery.

Schumacher’s condition has remained a secret across the last decade but the recent signing of Stewart’s racing helmet has given the motorsport world a glimmer of hope.

He is said to have signed it with the help of Corinna as an image showed his initials “M.S” on the bottom right of the iconic white helmet.

Schumacher’s teammate at Benetton between 1994 to 1995, Johnny Herbert, described the signature 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.”

He added that the whole of the sporting world would love to one day see Schumacher back in the public eye among his fans.

“It would be so welcomed, not just from everyone in the paddock, but everyone around the world considering the awful situation he found himself in,” Herbert said.

Schumacher joined all 20 living world champions – from the eldest in Stewart to the most recent winner Max Verstappen – in giving his signature.

It is now set to be sold off at auction to help raise funds for Sir Jackie Stewart’s Race Against Dementia charity.

Stewart was even seen completing a lap of the race track with the helmet on at the start of April.

The sweet act came before the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Michael’s signature marks the stricken F1 legend’s only public act since his devastating ski accident in the French Alps.

Schumacher now lives at a £50million custom-built property on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, where he is cared for by a dedicated team of medical staff.

Only a handful of trusted people are aware of his current health status, including ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt, his former teammates Felipe Massa and Luca Badoer, as well as longtime manager Sabine Kehm.

What happened to Michael Schumacher?

MICHAEL Schumacher’s life was hanging by a thread 12 years ago as medics tried desperately to keep him alive after a tragic skiing crash that left him with horrific brain injuries.

The F1 legend was given the best possible treatment as he was put into a medically induced coma, had his body temperature lowered and underwent hours of tricky operations on his brain.

Back in 2013, the retired seven-time world champion, and his then 14-year-old son set off on the Combe de Saulire ski run in the exclusive French resort of Meribel.

Footage from his helmet camera revealed he was not travelling at excessive speed when his skis struck a rock hidden beneath the snow.

He catapulted forward 11.5ft and crashed into a boulder head first that split his helmet into two and left him needing to be airlifted to hospital for two life-saving operations.

At one point his family were told to brace themselves for the worst case scenario as the situation was much worse than originally believed.

At the time, medics said Schumacher was likely to stay in an induced coma for at least 48 hours as his body and mind recovered.

But the coma ended up lasting 250 days – more than eight months.

After he woke up in June 2014, he was discharged from hospital and sent to his home in Lake Geneva to get further treatment.

Since then his wife Corinna and his inner circle of friends have expertly avoided almost anything leaking out about his health status.

Only small amounts of information have been released including reports that Schumacher was in a wheelchair but can react to things around him.

In 2019, it was said that Schumacher was set to undergo breakthrough stem cell therapy in a bid to regenerate and rebuild his nervous system.

Renowned France cardiologist Dr Philippe Menasche, who had operated on him previously, was set to carry out the treatment that would see cells from his heart go to his brain.

Following the treatment at the Georges Pompidou Hospital in Paris, he was said to be “conscious”, although few other details were given about his state.

The helmet is the latest in a number of positive signs surrounding Schumacher’s health.

He recently became a granddad for the first time last month after his daughter Gina welcomed a baby girl named Millie.

The legendary Formula One driver is believed to have flown from his family’s villa in Majorca to their Swiss mansion in a chopper to join his daughter before the birth.

Gina revealed she was pregnant shortly after tying the knot to partner Iain Bethke at a villa in Majorca last year.

There was speculation at the time that her F1 champion dad attended the wedding, but it is unclear if he ever made the ceremony.