Michael Schumacher’s wife has urged members of the media to leave the hospital where the seven-time F1 world champion remains in a critical condition following a skiing accident 10 days ago.
Corinna Schumacher also requested that her family be left “in peace” as they come to terms with her husband’s fall in the French Alpine resort of Meribel.
Schumacher was admitted to hospital on December 29 after suffering significant brain injuries and has since undergone two operations to remove blood clots and reduce swelling.
The 45-year-old is in an artificially induced coma and there has seemingly been little change in his condition since he was described as “critical but stable” a week ago.
The doctors treating the German driver have no further press conferences planned, and Schumacher’s wife believes the time has come for the world’s media, which has flocked en masse to the Grenoble University Hospital, to pack up and go home.
“Please support us in our common fight with Michael,” Corinna Schumacher said in a statement released to the media on Tuesday. “It is important to me that you leave the doctors and the hospital so that they can work in peace.
“I ask you to trust their statements and leave the clinic. Please leave our family in peace.”
Schumacher suffered the head injury while on a family holiday and, despite being conscious immediately after the accident, was quickly airlifted to hospital where the full extent of his injuries became clear.
His manager, Sabine Kehm, said on Monday that his condition has not changed in the past few days and any further treatment will be kept private.
“The clinical state of Michael Schumacher is considered as stable and is being continually monitored by the medical treatment administered to him,” Kehm said.
“However, the medical team in charge emphasize that they continue to judge his condition critical.
“The patient’s privacy requires that we do not give out details of his treatment and it is for this reason that we do not envisage any new press conferences, nor to send out any written press releases, in the near future.”
Supporters gathered outside the hospital last Friday on the occasion of Schumacher’s 45th birthday but it still remains unclear if the former Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes driver will fully recover from the injuries sustained.