Twelve years after his life-changing skiing accident, a close friend of Michael Schumacher has delivered a heartbreaking prediction about the Formula One legend's future.
The tragic accident that changed everything
In December 2013, the seven-time world champion suffered a devastating brain injury while skiing in the French Alps. Schumacher fell and struck his head on a rock, with medical experts confirming he would not have survived without his protective helmet.
The racing icon, now 56, hasn't been seen publicly since the incident, with his family maintaining strict privacy about his condition. Only his closest friends and associates have been permitted to visit him at his family home beside Lake Geneva.
A friend's sobering prediction
Richard Hopkins, former Red Bull head of operations, recently shared his thoughts on Schumacher's condition during an interview with SPORTbible. Hopkins, who first met the German driver in the early 1990s while working as a McLaren mechanic, expressed his belief that the public will likely never see Schumacher again.
"I haven't heard anything recently," Hopkins admitted. "I understand he has a Finnish doctor, a personal doctor. I don't think we'll see Michael again."
Hopkins emphasised the family's desire for privacy, stating he felt "slightly uncomfortable talking about his condition because of how secretive, for the right reasons, the family wants to keep it."
The inner circle of trust
The former racing executive clarified that he isn't part of Schumacher's inner circle, which includes figures like former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt, technical director Ross Brawn, and fellow driver Gerhard Berger.
"I'm not Jean Todt, I'm not Ross Brawn, I'm not Gerhard Berger, who visit Michael," Hopkins explained. "I'm a long way from that."
He added that even close friends who do visit Schumacher respect the family's wishes not to share details about his condition. "I think even if you were Ross Brawn's best friend, and you asked how well Michael was, and even if you plied Ross with a lot of good red wine, I don't think he would open up and share."
The family's protective stance
From the beginning of this difficult journey, Schumacher's family has worked tirelessly to protect his privacy. After initially fighting for survival in critical condition, Michael experienced "moments of consciousness and awakening" by April 2014.
By that summer, he had emerged from his coma and transferred to a rehabilitation centre. By September 2014, Schumacher returned to his family home where his wife Corinna and a dedicated medical team provide round-the-clock care.
In the 2021 Netflix documentary SCHUMACHER, Corinna emphasised their commitment to protecting Michael's private life. "We're trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does," she said. "And we are getting on with our lives. 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."
As the twelfth anniversary of the accident approaches, Hopkins' sobering prediction underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the Schumacher family and the racing community's continued concern for the legendary driver's wellbeing.
