New details of Michael Schumacher's condition revealed

Michael Schumacher's condition is much more positive than may have been previously assumed, after a report in the Daily Mail claimed that the record-breaking Formula 1 champion is not "bed-ridden" in his Swiss mansion, and does not rely on machines in order to stay alive.

Schumacher suffered serious head injuries in a skiing fall in December 2013 and very little has been revealed about his condition in the near five years since as his wife Corinna has insisted on strict privacy.

The seven-time world champion has been recuperating at his home in Gland, Switzerland since emerging from a coma in 2014.

German archbishop Georg Ganswein recently claimed in an interview that Schumacher had been able to "sense those around him" when he visited the family home in 2016, while FIA president Jean Todt – formerly Schumacher's Ferrari team principal – said he watched November's Brazilian GP with his former colleague, without shedding light on his condition.

Now paddock veteran Jonathan McEvoy has written of Schumacher: "He is not bed-ridden. Nor is he existing on tubes. Yet it is believed he is receiving extensive nursing and therapy care, which has been estimated to cost more than £50,000 a week."

The report also claims that Schumacher does not reside in a specially adapted section of his home.

Schumacher's spokesperson Sabine Kehm doused reports earlier this year that the family had been set to move to a new residence on the Spanish island of Majorca, while reports in Germany have suggested that the former racer – who will turn 50 next month – is set to undergo specialist treatment at a medical facility in the USA.

While Michael Schumacher has withdrawn from public life, the family name is emerged on the conscious of motorsport fans once again as his son Mick has forged the beginnings of a successful career.

Schumacher Jr will graduate to Formula 2 in 2019, having won the European Formula 3 championship this year.

The 19-year-old was recently reported to have elected to sign to Ferrari's junior driver programme, turning down Mercedes in the process in order to join the outfit that his father won five of his seven F1 drivers' titles with.

MORE: Sebastian Vettel confirms never visiting Michael Schumacher
MORE: Todt watched Brazil GP with Michael Schumacher