Leading world Neurosurgeon, Erich Riederer, has provided an update on the health of F1 legend Michael Schumacher. According to Riederer, the seven-time world champion is currently in a ‘vegetative’ state where ‘he’s awake but not responding’. The record F1 champion was in a devastating skiing accident in the French Alps in 2013, which left him with severe brain injuries.

Schumacher has been out of public eye since that incident and very few details related to his condition have been released. However, neurosurgeon Erich Riederer has commented on the retired F1 driver’s condition as an outsider in a documentary on the French television station TMC, stating that the 51-year-old is far from fully recovering.

‘I think he's in a vegetative state, which means he's awake but not responding.’ Riederer told TMC as quoted by the Independent. ‘He is breathing, his heart is beating, he can probably sit up and take baby steps with help, but no more. I think that's the maximum for him. Is there any chance of seeing him like he was before his accident? I really don't think so.’ The neurosurgeon added.

However, it is uncertain on what Riederer has based his professional opinion on as last week former Ferrari manager Jean Todt said that Schumacher was still fighting to get better under the watchful eye of his family after a recent visit to his home.

‘I saw Michael last week. He is fighting. My God, we know he had a terrible and unfortunate skiing accident which has caused him a lot of problems. But he has an amazing wife next to him, he has his kids, his nurses, and we can only wish him the best and to wish the family the best too. All I can do is to be close to them until I am able to do something, and then I will do it.’ Todt said.

After Schumacher’s accident, he underwent two surgical interventions before being put into a six-month-long medically induced coma because of his traumatic brain injury. And after 254 days in the hospital, the German returned to his home in Geneva, Switzerland where he has remained ever since.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 23, 2020 07:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).