Michael Schumacher recent health updates are heartbreaking with F1 icon still fighting

Schumacher hit his head on a rock, having gone off course, and was then taken to hospital.

The F1 legend was placed in a medically induced coma and though he was later allowed to return home, he's lived life away from the spotlight in the years since.

As one of the sport's biggest-ever names, there will always be huge interest in Schumacher.

Supporters and followers of F1 have been kept in the dark to protect the 54-year-old's privacy, something his family have stated regularly over the past decade.

Over the last few months, however, some updates have been provided.

And they're heartbreaking because hope of a miraculous recovery seems to be fading.

His brother, Ralf, recently told German outlet Bunte that they have had to accept Schumacher's condition.

He also said 'life isn't fair', too, suggesting his brother was still fighting 10 years on.

“Sometimes life isn’t fair, unfortunately. We have to accept it,” Ralf said.

“When I see his [Michael’s] kids, Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles.

"If anyone in the family seeks my advice, I’m there. They’re making their way.”

That update comes less than two months after Roger Benoit, a close friend of Schumacher, had also discussed the stricken F1 star.

Benoit used to smoke cigars with Schumacher after races when the German was dominating the sport.

And his words were truly devastating to hear, with the former journalist saying his old friend was a 'case without hope'.

"No," he told Blick when asked if he was able to provide an update on Schumacher and his condition.

"There is only one answer to this question and that is what his son Mick gave in one of his rare interviews in 2022: ‘I would give anything to talk to dad’.

"This sentence says everything about how his father has been doing for over 3500 days.

"A case without hope.”

Schumacher family lawyer, Felix Damm, has also addressed why there's such a lack of information about the former Ferrari star.

And Damm recently claimed a lack of final report was in the interests of protecting the F1 icon and his family.

"Of course, we discussed a lot about how this is possible," he said.

"So we also considered whether a final report about Michael's health could be the right way to do this.

"But that wouldn't have been the end of it and there would have had to be constantly updated 'water level reports'.

"Because as those affected, it is not up to you to put an end to the media.

"They could pick up on such a report again and again and ask, 'And what does it look like now?' one, two, three months or years after the message.

"And if we then wanted to take action against this reporting, we would have to deal with the argument of voluntary self-disclosure."

Schumacher is still fighting, of course. His wife, Corinna, has said he's 'different' but 'here' when speaking on a Netflix documentary in 2021.

For years his friends, family and fans of F1 have all hoped for a miracle.

But recent comments from his brother, Benoit and Damm suggests hope is fading.