Formula One legend Michael Schumacher probably won't ever be seen in public again, a close pal has said.
Red Bull's former operations chief Richard Hopkins, who struck up a friendship with the motorsport icon in the 1990s, has shared his thoughts on what the future might look like for the star.
Schumacher, 56, withdrew from the spotlight following his horror skiing accident in December 2013, which saw him sustain a traumatic brain injury after he fell and hit his head on a rock.
The father-of-two spent 250 days in a medically-induced coma in wake of the incident in the French Alps, which took place just one year after he had retired from Formula One.
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Doctors said that the fact Schumacher was wearing a helmet saved his life, but his injury still dramatically altered the course of it.
The seven-time world champion's condition has been shrouded in secrecy for the last decade or so, although his loved ones have shared a few updates over the years.
In the 2021 Netflix documentary, Schumacher, his wife Corinna explained that her husband is 'different', but that him being 'here' gives his family 'strength'.
Take a look at the trailer here:
Explaining why they prefer to keep the details of his health private, Schumacher's spouse of 30 years said: "'Private is private’, as he always said.
"It’s very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now, we are protecting Michael."
Only a handful of people outside of blood relatives are allowed to visit Schumacher, including ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt.
Other pals, such as Hopkins, rely on rare updates from the German star's loved ones to stay in the loop.
The former McLaren mechanic became firm friends with Schumacher while he was driving for Benetton, and they shared regular coffee breaks around the paddocks.
Speaking to SPORTbible, Hopkins explained that he believes the Formula One ace won't ever be well enough to make a public appearance again.
"I haven't heard anything recently," he said. "I understand [Schumacher] has a Finnish doctor, a personal doctor. I don't think we'll see Michael again.
"I'm slightly uncomfortable talking about his condition because of how secretive, for the right reasons, the family wants to keep it.
"So I can make a remark, have an opinion, but I'm not in that inner circle. I'm not Jean Todt, I'm not Ross Brawn, I'm not Gerhard Berger, who visit Michael. I'm a long way from that."
Hopkins said that even these few people who remain close to the Schumacher family wouldn't offer up information on 'how well Michael was'.
"Even if you plied Ross with a lot of good red wine, I don't think he would open up and share," he continued. "I think there is that respect with anybody who goes to visit Michael not to share anything.
"That's the way the family wants it to be. I think that's fair and respectful towards the family. Even if I did know, the family would be disappointed if I shared anyway."
In April this year, Schumacher surprised fans after signing a crash helmet which was auctioned off for charity, in what was one of his first public acts since the 2013 accident.
Hopkins went on to describe Schumacher's skills on the Formula One track as 'exceptional'.
"I've said before, he's like one of these Avengers or something like that, that thrive on energy," he added. "The more success he had, the stronger he became.
"I think maybe every sports person does that, or maybe every person has a degree of that. I think Michael was exceptional in that he thrived on it more than most."
Topics: Celebrity, Celebrity News, Formula 1, Health, Michael Schumacher, Sport
Olivia Burke