FIA president Jean Todt says Michael Schumacher is still “fighting” after a recent trip to the Formula 1 legend.
Todt, who was team boss at Ferrari when Schumacher won five of his seven world championships between 2000-2004, is one of the few outsiders allowed access to the 51-year-old as he continues his recovery from the head injuries he sustained in 2013.
And ahead of the Scuderia’s 1000th race at Mugello last week, where Schumacher’s son Mick took the lead in the F2 championship and demoed his father’s 2004 Ferrari before the race, the Frenchman offered this update on his condition.
“I saw Michael last week. He is fighting,” Todt was quoted by RT.
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“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.”
Of course, at the Tuscan Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton put himself within one of Schumacher’s record of 91 wins in F1 as he continues his march toward joining Michael as a seven-time world champion.
And Todt acknowledged the inevitability of the Briton surpassing the German’s achievements.
“Lewis will beat all of Michael’s records simply because he is a very talented driver,” he said.
“He is motivated and driving for the best team. He has the best car, the best engine so all the ingredients are there.
“It is positive logic that when you do so well in life you get the benefit of it, and that is what is happening with Lewis and Mercedes. We thought the records would be very difficult to beat, but a long stability of the regulations has helped them.
“One driver I know very well, and the other I know superficially. Clearly both are completely different, but they have a common passion, professionalism, physical condition, talent and that is what makes both of them outstanding.”