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.”

Former Formula One star was able to communicate with staff by nodding Ambulance

 

Michael Schumacher 'had his eyes open and nodded' during 120 mile transfer from French intensive care ward to Swiss rehab facility

Former Formula One star was able to communicate with staff by nodding
Ambulance workers were not told in advance who they were transporting
They also had to give up their mobile phones on arrival at Grenoble
It's 25 weeks since Schumacher suffered his life threatening skiing accident


Formula One legend Michael Schumacher had his eyes open and was conscious during his transfer from a French hospital to a facility in Switzerland, according to a Swiss report.

It also stated that Schumacher, 45, was able to communicate to ambulance staff by nodding his head.

Schumacher was transported 120 miles from Grenoble Hospital to University Hospital Lausanne on Monday morning.

The report in the Swiss tabloid Blick stated that the ambulance was operated by Sanitätoberwallis, a company based in Visp in the canton of Valais rather than from Grenoble or Lausanne.

Ambulance staff were not told the identity of the world-famous patient in advance. They also had to relinquish their mobile phones on arrival at Grenoble.

Matthias Volken, medical superintendent of the ambulance firm, said: 'I can confirm that we carried out the drive to transfer (Schumacher) on Monday.'

The paper said Schumacher had lost a lot of weight during his 170 days in hospital since the accident.

Schumacher did not speak, but he communicated by nodding his head and had his eyes open for most of the journey, the paper said.

The hospital where he is now being treated is one of Switzerland’s best and has renowned neurology experts.
It is in the city of Lausanne, just 20 miles from Schumacher's home, where he lives with his wife Corinna and two children.
The University Hospital of the Canton of Vaud (CHUV) in Lausanne, where Schumacher was transferred from a French hospital to begin a lengthy rehabilitation regime after his terrible skiing accident left him in a coma
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The University Hospital of the Canton of Vaud (CHUV) in Lausanne, where Schumacher was transferred from a French hospital to begin a lengthy rehabilitation regime after his terrible skiing accident left him in a coma


Doctors warn Michael Schumacher still has long recovery

It is almost 25 weeks ago that Schumacher, a very competent skier, suffered his life-threatening accident.

He was holidaying with family and friends in the French resort of Meribel, where he owns a chalet.

On Monday his manager Sabine Kehm announced that he was no longer in a coma and had been transferred to Lausanne where he will undergo a lengthy rehabilitation regime.

Silver Arrows F1 car, MGP W01, livery launch 2009 Brawn GP

We’ve been waiting for this! The Mercedes GP Petronas team has revealed its 2010 livery at a launch ceremony at the Shining Silver Star’s museum in Stuttgart, also showing off the team drivers in their new outfit. We’re of course talking about seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher and compatriot Nico Rosberg. Another German, ex-Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld is reported to be the reserve and test driver.

Compared to the official renderings shown when the Petronas deal was signed, the real design features less of the green accents which I thought looked good as a contrast to the silver/black theme. There’s sort of an “unfinished metal” look going on, which I think is quite unusual but cool.

Beneath the livery is a 2009 Brawn BGP001 racer. The proper MGP W01 2010 car with the new livery will break cover once official pre-season testing starts next month.


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pic 1: Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP Petronas Helmet
pic 2: Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas Helmet

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pic 1: Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart
pic 2: Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart

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pic 1: Michael Schumacher and his wife Corinna Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart
pic 2: Mercedes Gp Petronas

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pic 1: Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart
pic 2: Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart

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pic 1: Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart
pic 2: Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart

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pic 1: Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart
pic 2: Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP Petronas team reveal 2010 livery at the Shining Silver Star’s museum Stuttgart

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP, Testing on GP2 Series car

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Michael Schumacher

Formula One returnee Michael Schumacher finished his three-day session in the GP2 Series development car by logging some decent mileage as conditions improved over the course of the day.

He ran 130 laps on the Jerez circuit in Spain on Thursday, the first 23 of which were on wet tires on a damp track in the morning. He then focused on 20-lap runs that presumably gave his neck a good workout. Schumacher recorded a best lap of 1 minute, 24.621 seconds; however, it is hard to draw any meaningful conclusions regarding his ultimate pace because the series does not race at Jerez and the main point of the test was to try new parts.

Intriguingly, Schumacher's Mercedes GP race engineer Andrew Shovlin--who won the title last year while working with Jenson Button--attended the test with a team colleague to get to know his new driver a little better.

"I could really drive a lot on this last day of testing and it worked out perfectly," Schumacher said. "I am very happy with the way testing went here. We worked well, times and consistency were well, we could do everything we had scheduled to do. I feel fit, I felt comfortable immediately back in the car--hey, let's go for it!"

GP2 Series organizer Bruno Michel said that the series gained a lot from Schumacher's input.

"This has been a fantastic opportunity for the GP2 Series and everyone involved in the competition," he commented. "Michael Schumacher's analysis and feedback was fantastic and the GP2 technical staff who has been working with him this week is positive that what has been learned from this development test will provide us with an even better car in 2011.

"We are very happy that Michael chose our car to get his sensations back at the wheel of a high-performance machine and that he stated that it was the closest thing to a current Formula One car."


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pic 1: Michael Schumacher GP2 Test at Jerez Spain 12 1 2010
pic 2: Michael Schumacher GP2 Test at Jerez Spain 12 1 2010

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pic 1: Michael Schumacher GP2 Test at Jerez Spain 12 1 2010
pic 2: Michael Schumacher GP2 Test at Jerez Spain 12 1 2010

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pic 1: Michael Schumacher GP2 Test at Jerez Spain 12 1 2010
pic 2: Michael Schumacher GP2 Test at Jerez Spain 12 1 2010

Michael Schumacher comeback, BBC interview, on 2009.12.23

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Michael Schumacher, Seven World Titles, Back In Formula 1

Michael Schumacher, the most successful driver in motor racing history, announced Wednesday that he will return to race in Formula One next year after three seasons in retirement.

The German, who turns 41 next month, who won seven world drivers’ titles in a career spanning 16 years and 249 races, has signed to drive for the new Mercedes Grand Prix team in a three-year deal.

“I was tired of F1 by the end of 2006,” Schumacher said Wednesday. “But in three years of absence I got back all the energy that I am feeling right now. I played around with motorbikes and I feel ready for some serious stuff now.”

Schumacher had been consulting for the Ferrari team, where he raced from 1996 to 2006. Last summer, when the team needed a replacement for its injured driver, Felipe Massa, Schumacher considered returning, but a neck injury from a motorcycle racing accident had not yet healed.

“The failed comeback attempt last summer gave me reason to reconsider my situation,” Schumacher said.

He said that he believed he and the Mercedes team would have a chance to win the title in 2010. He said he is returning because he was given an offer he never expected and that it came from two important sources, Ross Brawn, the director of the team, and Mercedes.

Brawn was the technical director and strategist at the Benetton team and guided Schumacher on to win his first two titles, in 1994 and 1995. Both Brawn and Schumacher then moved to Ferrari, winning a further five titles together from 2000 to 2004.

Schumacher drove for Mercedes in sports cars before entering Formula One. The manufacturer had paid for his move to Formula One at the Jordan team in 1991.

Mercedes went on to become a minority-owner of the McLaren team. But last month the company announced that it was leaving McLaren and buying a controlling interest in the Brawn team, which won both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles this year.

Schumacher will race alongside another German, Nico Rosberg, who is 15 years younger.

Schumacher will be the oldest driver since Nigel Mansell raced in Formula One in 1995, also at age 41.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if Michael challenged for another world championship,” Mansell said last weekend. Mansell won his last race, the Australian Grand Prix, at 41 in 1994.

Schumacher period of domination, before he retired in 2006 was like none before. No other driver comes close to his 91 victories, Alain Prost is second with 51 and Ayrton Senna the third, with 41.

Schumacher equaled Juan Fangio’s 45-year-old record of five titles in 2002 and went on to win two more titles in the following two years. Prost is third with four titles.

In a recent poll of 217 drivers by Autosport Magazine Senna, who earned three world titles before he died in a crash at Imola in 1994, was voted greatest driver. Schumacher came in second. Fangio was third.

Fangio, who was 46 when he won his last title, won titles with four different manufacturers.

Schumacher is now joining the team that won the title last year, but his move to Ferrari in 1996 was far bolder. Ferrari, had become synonymous with failure, and then helped turn it into a dominant winning machine.

“Schumacher reshaped the mold for the 21st-century racing driver,” the Autosport editors wrote, “combining incredible fitness with technical brilliance and good old-fashioned speed.”

But Schumacher also has a dark side. In 1997, with a single point advantage over his rival for the title, Jacques Villeneuve at Williams, the German tried to knock the Canadian off the track at Jerez, Spain, to take a short cut to the crown.

The move backfired. Schumacher’s car fell out of the race, while Villeneuve limped on to the finish and scored the points he needed to take the title. Schumacher was stripped of all his points for that season. He had won his first title, in 1994, after a collision that knocked out his nearest rival, Damon Hill, also in the last race.

In his last year in the series, under pressure from the rising star, Fernando Alonso at Renault, Schumacher tried another trick in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix. Desperate to score pole position, he parked his car in the last corner to prevent anyone from completing their last lap. He was punished, sent to the back of the grid.

Yet his natural driving talent was matched by his strength as a team player and his understanding of how to improve the cars he drove. When things were not going well within his team or with his car, he never blamed others. He always worked to find solutions to the problems.

Schumacher is a trained mechanic and his engineers said that his input helped to improve the cars.

“To have a car in your hands, a team working with you with which you maximize your performance, and driving finally this car at the track, and just knowing and feeling that this is the maximum that you can achieve, that has been such a thrill for all those years,” he said in an interview last year. “I always was hungry for this.”

Bernard Dudot, the head of the Renault engine program in the 1980s and 1990s, and who had also worked with Prost and Senna, said Schumacher was superior to both in this area.

“We did things on the engine at that time that we would never have done — or never have developed — had it not been him,” said Dudot in an interview in 2006.

This is certainly going to help next year in a Formula One where car testing between races has been banned to cut costs. Schumacher’s input during race weekends will therefore be extremely valuable to the team to develop the car.

His public personality was not one to attract fans the way the charismatic Senna did. On television, the German can look arrogant, angry and cold.

Yet in person he is a warm, almost modest individual, aware of his failings.

“He’s the best judge of what he can do and I trust him implicitly, and he told me he can do it so I’m very confident,” Brawn said of his return. “He’s always been his own best critic.”

By BRAD SPURGEON

Published: December 23, 2009
In NYTimes