Michael Schumacher's former teammate has shared a rare health update about the racing legend, over 12 years on from his horrific skiing accident.
In December 2013 the seven-time F1 champion suffered a traumatic head injury while skiing with his son in the French Alps. The accident saw the 57-year-old placed in an induced coma for just under six months before being discharged from hospital.
He has since retired from public life completely, with his family maintaining strict privacy about the details of his health and condition ever since.
Now a rare insight into the 57-year-old's life has been shared by his former teammate Riccardo Patrese.
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Patrese, who drove alongside Schumacher for Benetton during the 1990s, recently gave an interview with the German-language outlet Hochgepokert, in which the 71-year-old Italian driver said he has not visited Schumacher since his accident but has heard he is 'improving'.
"I had this news, via a friend, that he was improving. But I never met him after the accident," Patrese explained.
"I never went there, so it's only talk that he could sit, watch and look around and make contact with his eyes."
Patrese, who competed between 1977 and 1993, referenced recent reports about Schumacher's health before going on to say that he doesn't believe the Ferrari driver is aware that he is a seven-time world champion in the sport.
"He's in his own world, but he recognises people around him, familiar faces. I am sure he does not know he is a seven-time world champion," he said.
"Of course Michael is now living in the way that he is with a lot of effort from the family," he continued, referencing Schumacher's family, close friends and wife Corinna. "I think in this kind of situation, it is a treasure for the person that they love. Even with the condition he is in, they like to have him and care for him and love him.
"He's still with us and we can only hope that he will get better. We are really hoping, every day he is doing a little bit more. I'm very happy to hear that Michael is improving but from what I know of this situation nothing has changed for some years."
Outside of Schumacher's trusted inner circle, which includes his immediate family members and a few close friends, no one has seen the driver since 2013.
"I understood that they didn't like to have anybody around apart from a few trusted people like Jean Todt and Luca Badoer as well, because he was a very close friend to Michael," Patrese added.
"Apart from these people I think nobody could have come closer to Michael."
Former Ferrari team principal Todt has previously shared small insights into Schumacher's life, with the 79-year-old revealing that he keeps in 'regular' contact with the family.
"I see him and his family regularly and always with affection," Todt told Italian publication La Repubblica last February.
Topics: Michael Schumacher, Sport, Formula 1
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