An F1 insider who regularly mixed with Michael Schumacher would welcome seeing the seven-time world champion in public again, but only if he is making progress. The Ferrari icon suffered devastating head injuries in a skiing accident in France in December 2013 and has remained out of the spotlight ever since.
Privacy maintained by inner circle
Throughout his legendary racing career, Schumacher fiercely protected his and his family's privacy. That approach has been maintained by his wife, Corinna, and their tight inner circle, meaning details about his condition are largely a mystery.
While fans and the F1 community eagerly hope for a public appearance one day, former Red Bull head of operations Richard Hopkins, who routinely caught up over coffee with Schumacher during his days as a McLaren mechanic, says the now-57-year-old should only return to the public eye if his condition is improving.
Hopkins speaks on possible return
He told iPredicta: "I hope we see him again. I'd love to. But only if that's right. I don't think anybody wants to see Michael in a situation we don't want to see Michael in, or Michael doesn't want us to see him in.
"So I'd love to see Michael, but I'd love to see Michael okay. I think 'okay' is the right word to use. But equally, at the same time, if he's not okay, I'd rather not.
"I don't know what Corinna thinks. I don't know what her thoughts on this are. But maybe it's in some ways aligned to that, in as far as it's Michael.
"He was the ultimate in strength and I think she's protecting him more than maybe protecting herself and the family and everything else. I'd love to see Michael and have a chat with him, and have a coffee with Michael, rather than see him in a not-okay situation. So you've got to respect that."
Documentary offers insight
A recent Netflix documentary, Schumacher 94: The Birth of a Legend, chronicles his maiden F1 title with Benetton during a dramatic and tragic year, which saw the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at Imola. The film includes contributions from Corinna and offers intimate glimpses into the racing icon's life away from the circuit, showing a warmer side to his character than what is widely perceived.
Hopkins said: "Schumacher was a very emotional guy, wore his heart on his sleeve, as far as occasions where he got emotionally angry, I suppose.
"Not necessarily emotionally sad. I'm sure there were other occasions when he did. The guy wasn't completely made of steel. He wasn't a bloody robot. He was a human being at the end of the day.
"So I'm sure behind closed doors a lot of what we saw was a bit of an act, dare I say, but I think that was all for his reasoning."
