Michael Schumacher shows signs of ‘consciousness and awakening’

Michael Schumacher is showing signs of ‘consciousness and awakening’, his manager has revealed.

The F1 legend was admitted to Grenoble Hospital following his skiing crash three months ago, and as yet has shown little sign of recovery.

Today his manager and spokesperson, Sabine Kehm, rejected claims the former World Champion has regressed into a permanent comatose state by revealing ‘Michael is making progress’.

According to Kehm, Schumacher ‘shows moments of consciousness and awakening’.

Schumacher has been kept in an artificial coma since suffering the injury while skiing in the French Alps ski resort of Meribel on December 29 last year. It is not yet known whether his condition has improved sufficiently for the 45-year-old to breathe without the assistance of a ventilator.

“We are on his side during his long and difficult fight, together with the team of the hospital in Grenoble, and we keep remaining confident.

“We would like to thank you all for the continuous sympathies. At the same time we again ask for understanding that we do not intend to disclose details. This is necessary to protect the privacy of Michael and his family, and to enable the medical team to work in full calmness.”

It was announced at the end of January that the ‘waking up progress’ had begun in Schumacher’s treatment, but a lack of updates since has prompted growing fears about his condition.

Schumacher’s family have repeatedly asked fans to pay no attention to non-official reports, with Kehm’s latest update also clarifying that the family has no intention of moving Michael from Grenoble.

Recent reports had suggested that Michael’s wife, Corinna, planned to build a specially-constructed medical unit at the family home beside Lake Geneva in Switzerland.