Michael Schumacher: Former mentor Flavio Briatore delivers sombre health update on F1 superstar

One of Formula One superstar Michael Schumacher’s mentors and one-time boss, Flavio Briatore, has revealed the heartbreaking circumstances around his former protege’s ongoing health battle.

Briatore enjoyed success alongside the German speedster during his formative years in F1 with Bennetton, before he moved to become a multiple world champion at Ferrari.

Schumacher, 56, has not been seen in public since a horrific skiing accident in 2013 left him with serious injuries requiring around the clock treatment and assistamce.

The Sun reports that his ex-manager, Briatore, says he speaks often with Schumacher’s family and confirmed to an Italian newspaper that the seven-time world title winner is bed-bound, amid scarce details of his condition due to his wife Corinna’s commitment to privacy.

“If I close my eyes,” he told Corriere della Sera, “I see him smiling after a victory.

“I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed. Corinna and I talk often, though.”

Briatore’s update follows a claim by his ex-wife Elisabetta Gregoraci, who said: “Michael doesn’t speak, he communicates with his eyes.

“Only three people can visit him and I know who they are.”

Claims that Schumacher can no longer speak were echoed by his son Mick in a 2021 Netflix documentary about his father’s life.

The 26-year-old driver said: “I think dad and me, we would understand each other now in a different way now.”

In the 2021 documentary, Corinna gave a rare update, revealing Schumacher is still undergoing rehabilitation and is “different, but here” following his life-changing injuries.

Motorsport fans around the globe were buoyed by news that Schumacher had signed a charity helmet in April with help from Corinna.

Johnny Herbert, Schumacher’s teammate at Benetton between 1994 to 1995, described the signature as an “emotional” moment.

He told FastSlots: “It’s wonderful news that Michael Schumacher signed Jackie Stewart’s helmet. It was a wonderful moment.

“We haven’t seen something emotional like this in years, and hopefully, it’s a sign.

“Hopefully, Michael is on the mend. It’s been a long, horrible journey for the family, and maybe we’ll hopefully see him in the F1 paddock soon.”

Schumacher is one of the most successful F1 drivers of all time, winning world titles in 1994, 1995 and five consecutive years from 2000 to 2004.

He also racked up 71 fastest laps and 155 podiums during his racing career.

When asked who the greatest driver of all time is, Briatore told Corriere de Sera: “I don’t know who the greatest is, because we’ve had Schumacher, Senna, Alonso.

“Now, the number one is definitely (Max) Verstappen. I have two cars at Alpine, so I would like to have two Verstappens.”