Michael Schumacher in Paris hospital for stem cell therapy

The condition of Michael Schumacher after his ill-fated skiing accident five years ago has been one of the most fiercely guarded secrets, with the family ensuring utmost privacy when it comes to providing updates.

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has been receiving treatment at his home in Switzerland, with wife Corinna Schumacher admitting recently that they are doing everything humanly possible to help him.

According to French newspaper Le Parisien, via Motorsport.com, the F1 legend has now been shifted to a Paris hospital to receive treatment from a renowned heart surgeon who specializes in stem cell treatments. The report said Schumacher arrived in southern Paris at the Georges-Pompidou European Hospital and Professor Philippe Menasche is said to lead the medical team.

Menasche is a cardiothoracic surgeon who, with his colleagues, has long been working on using stem cells to repair damaged hearts. The treatment for Schumacher is expected to begin early Tuesday morning, with the former Ferrari driver expected to return home to Switzerland later in the week.

According to the Daily Mail, the former F1 driver is said to have made more visits to the facility earlier in the year for checkups prior to the treatment. Schumacher has not been seen in public since his life-altering accident. After spending six months in a medically induced coma, he was shifted to his home in Switzerland for round-the-clock care, but updates about his condition have been few and far between.

The family put out a statement earlier this year on the occasion of Schumacher’s 50th birthday and revealed that they are doing everything possible to help him get better but it’s the family’s wish to keep information regarding his health private.

“You can be sure that he is in the very best of hands and that we are doing everything humanly possible to help him. Please understand if we are following Michael’s wishes and keeping such a sensitive subject as health, as it has always been, in privacy,” the statement read.

Jean Todt, the current FIA president and former Ferrari team principal, who is a close confidant of the German motor racing legend, recently revealed that he had visited the seven-time champion and watched an F1 race with him. It is a clear sign that Schumacher is making progress after suffering severe head injuries in the 2013 accident.

“I’m always careful with such statements, but it’s true,” Todt said. “I saw the race together with Michael Schumacher at his home in Switzerland."

 

MICHAEL Schumacher’s health is still very much under wraps, as the Formula 1 star is recovering from a catastrophic ski crash sustained six years ago in 2013.

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher is still recovering from a devastating skiing accident he sustained six years ago. His wife Corinna has been careful to keep details of the racing legend’s life close to the family, so little is known about Schumacher's current status. However, it has now been confirmed Schumacher has moved to his holiday retreat on the island of Mallorca.

Michael Schumacher owns a stunning £26 million mansion on the island of Mallorca named Villa Yasmin.

He was seen touching down at Port d'Andratx on the island, spotted by neighbours.

Residents at neighbouring properties told German magazine, Bunte, they had seen him accompanied by medical staff.

According to the magazine, he arrived on the island via helicopter.

The magazine said Schumacher’s family has spent the last three months at the mansion.




Bunte hailed the holiday trip as “another step forward on his recovery path”.

Little is known about Schumacher’s current health, however, the family issued an update ahead of his 50th birthday in January this year.

Mayoress of Andraxt, Katia Rouarch, confirmed the move to a Swiss magazine.

Schumacher's wife, Corinna, reportedly purchased the Mallorca mansion in July 2018.

The property was formerly owned by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who also owns several other properties around the World.

In total, Schumacher's mansion has some 15,000 square metres of space, with decadent gardens and two swimming pools.

The update read: "You can be sure that he is in the very best of hands and that we are doing everything humanly possible to help him.

“Please understand if we are following Michael's wishes and keeping such a sensitive subject as health, as it has always been, in privacy.

“At the same time, we say thank you very much for your friendship and wish you a healthy and happy year 2019."


Fellow F1 driver Sebastian Vettel spoke out about Schumacher earlier this month, as the Ferrari racer said he missed being by his side.

He said: "It’s a real shame that I can’t just pick up the phone and talk to him.

"Initially he was my hero and someone I looked up to and then later I got to know the person.

"Now when I look back it’s Michael the person I remember – not so much the racing driver.

"I talk to the guys here at Ferrari who were also here in Michael’s time and they speak very highly of him.”

Mick Schumacher - Michael Schumacher’s 19-year-old son - has been signed to Ferrari’s driver academy this year, and will continue to develop his skill with Italian motorsport team Prema Racing in F2.

Sebastian Vettel talked about the junior racer’s training in an interview with German magazine Bild.

He said: “I won’t give him tips on how to drive. It’s best for him to gain his own experience.

“Besides, I don’t need to tell him how high the expectations are for him. He doesn’t need anyone to tell him that.

“I just hope he gets the time to take the last step to Formula 1 at his own pace and that he doesn’t rush things. I think he’ll manage.”