Formula One legend Michael Schumacher is no longer bedridden. This is the biggest update on his health ever since his near-fatal ski accident that rendered him bed-bound since December 2013. Many online media houses reported that Schumacher—a seven-time Formula One champion, joint-most alongside Lewis Hamilton—is now finally able to sit upright and can move about his houses in Switzerland and Majorca in a wheelchair.
The Sun and Daily Mail UK reported that Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, continues to manage a 24-hour medical team across their homes and is responsible for getting her husband out of his coma to such an extent that he is now able to understand “certain things” but not “all things.”
What is the biggest update in Schumacher’s health?
Schumacher, after the accident that occurred on December 29, 2013, at Meribel in the French Alps, was so badly injured that he had to be placed in a medically induced coma for six months after he was airlifted to a hospital. Since then, there have been very few updates regarding the health of the great racing champion, who won 91 Grand Prix races. However, the latest update gives a lot of hope to his fans that they might be able to see him on the circuit sometime soon.
According to media reports, a source close to the family said, “He shows signs of understanding his environment, but he cannot communicate. He watches F1 races with Jean Todt, but he is a different person than we remember.” Jean Todt is the former boss of Schumacher from his days with Ferrari, with whom the German won five titles.
The cost of keeping Schumacher up and going
The Schumacher family has spent a fortune on maintaining a team of 15 specialists around the clock. As per a report on the Grandprix website, the weekly cost is nearly $145,000–$170,000. This translates to a yearly cost of $7 million to $9 million, which is huge. So far, as per this estimate, the Schumachers have spent nearly $90 million on keeping the medical team running. This has led to Corinna selling off their holiday home in Norway and auctioning the former racer’s world-famous watch collection.
Michael Schumacher’s racing records in numbers
Total titles won: 7 championships, joint-most alongside Hamilton.
Total races won: 91, second only to Hamilton’s 105.
Total podium finishes: 155, second only to Hamilton’s 202.
Total races won using one constructor’s car: 5 with Ferrari, second only to Hamilton’s 6 with Mercedes.