Michael Schumacher, the seven-time Formula One world champion, is reportedly no longer bedridden and can now sit up following years of physical therapy, according to a family source cited by the Daily Mail. The 57-year-old German has not been seen in public since a devastating skiing accident in December 2013 left him with a severe head injury.
Schumacher hit his head on a rock while skiing in Meribel in the French Alps and was placed in a medically induced coma for several months before returning home to Lake Geneva. Since then, he has been cared for by his wife Corinna and a team of healthcare professionals, with his condition kept largely private.
The Daily Mail reports that Schumacher is now capable of sitting up and can be moved around his estates in Switzerland and Majorca. While he cannot walk, he is no longer bed bound and can be wheeled around by nurses and medical staff. The report also states he is not suffering from Locked-in Syndrome, which would leave him aware but unable to communicate except by blinking.
“You can’t be sure whether he understands everything because he cannot tell anyone,” a source close to the family told the newspaper. “The feeling is that he understands some of the things going on around him, but probably not all of them.”
The family remains based in their £50 million home in Gland, Switzerland, but also stays at a £30 million mansion in Las Brisas, Majorca, purchased by Corinna in 2017. Only a select group of family, close friends, and staff have been allowed to see Schumacher since his accident. In February 2025, three men were convicted of attempting to blackmail the family by threatening to release personal photos, videos, and medical records unless paid €15 million.
Schumacher won seven F1 World Championships, tying with Lewis Hamilton for the most in history. Former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn is understood to be among the few who have visited him since the accident.
