Michael Schumacher's wish to 'disappear' into a private life away from the media spotlight after his F1 career has led to the secrecy around his current condition.
Seven-time F1 world champion Schumacher has not been seen in public since his devastating and life-changing ski accident nine years ago.
The German legend suffered catastrophic injuries when he went off-piste and hit his head on a boulder while skiing in the French Alps with son Mick, then 14, in December 2013.
He was airlifted to hospital after the horrific crash and underwent two operations before he was placed in a medically induced coma. In June 2014, Schumacher was moved back to his home in Switzerland where he continued his rehabilitation.
But updates on Schumacher - who turned 54 this week - have since been scarce and he has lived an extremely private ever since the horrifying crash that changed his life forever.
Schumacher's devoted wife Corinna and close family have chosen not to disclose information surrounding his health and have instead remained tight-lipped on any progress he has made in his recovery.
And Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm explained in March 2016 why his family were respecting his wishes by keeping his condition private.
"In general the media have never reported on Michael and Corinna's private life," she said. "When he was in Switzerland, for example, it was clear he was a private individual.
"Once in a long discussion Michael said to me 'you don't need to call me for the next year, I'm disappearing.' I think it was his secret dream to be able to do that some day. That's why now I still want to protect his wishes in that I don't let anything get out."
In 2021, Schumacher was subject of a Netflix documentary which focused on his incredible racing career and the character that became one of F1's greatest, rather than his medical condition.
"I just felt that he is somebody special," wife Corinna said in the documentary. "I think that he is simply very strong mentally. Extremely strong. He still shows me how strong he is every day."
