Seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher has performed his first public act in 12 years, providing hope to one of his close pals that he may be ‘on the mend’.
The 56-year-old Ferrari legend hasn’t been seen publicly since suffering a serious head injury in a December 2013 skiing accident. Since the incident, Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, has strived to keep her husband’s day-to-day life private.
While his exact condition remains unknown, a touching gesture from the Schumacher family could indicate that the F1 icon’s health may have improved slightly. Johnny Herbert – Michael’s teammate at Benetton between 1994 and 1995 – called the development a “wonderful moment”.
skiing accident
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Schumacher Believed to Have Signed His First Autograph Since 2013
Johnny Herbert hopes the signature means his friend is ‘on the mend’
Speaking to FastSlots, Herbert reacted with delight to an image showing that Schumacher had signed fellow great Jackie Stewart’s helmet – alongside a host of his peers. Per The Sun, Schumacher signed the bottom right of Stewart’s white helmet with the initials ‘M.S’. His wife is reported to have helped him autograph the piece.
Herbert celebrated his friend’s signature by saying:
“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.”
The Brit pointed out just how much it would mean to the sport as a whole if Schumacher was ever to be able to make such an appearance.
“It would be so welcomed, not just from everyone in the paddock, but everyone around the world considering the awful situation he found himself in.
All 20 living world champions signed the helmet – including Stewart himself and reigning titleholder Max Verstappen. Sir Jackie showed off the helmet while completing a lap on track prior to the Bahrain Grand Prix in April.
The unique piece of memorabilia is highly-prized and is set to fetch a fortune when it goes under the hammer at an auction to benefit Stewart’s Race Against Dementia charity. The recent Schumacher signature will only increase interest in the lot, given that his autograph is now essentially impossible to obtain in person.
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Michael Schumacher’s key Formula 1 statistics |
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|---|---|
|
First race |
1991 Belgian Grand Prix |
|
World Championships |
7 (1994-95, 2000-04) |
|
Number of races |
308 |
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Number of wins |
91 |
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Number of pole positions |
68 |
|
Career points |
1,566 |
Cared for around the clock by a dedicated team of carers at his purpose-built £50 million property in Lake Geneva, Switzerland, Schumacher’s health is a closely-guarded secret. Only a select few are allowed access to him – including just one F1 driver.
The German star was in attendance at his daughter’s wedding last year. Despite being a relatively private event, all guests had their phones confiscated when entering to avoid any recordings of Michael becoming public.
However, Herbert’s optimism that Schumacher may be recovering isn’t based solely on his recent signature. Another positive sign came last month, when he reportedly flew to join his daughter, Millie, after becoming a grandfather for the first time.
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