Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, who has been in a medically induced coma for two and a half months, is showing "small, encouraging signs of recovery," his family members have said.
Schumacher's manager, Sabine Kemh released a statement on behalf of his family on Wednesday because of an increasing interest in his condition in light of the start of the Formula 1 season.
The family hailed the efforts made by doctors at Grenoble hospital in France for what they are doing for Schumacher. They also said that this is a time to be very patient.
This development comes after doctors and relatives looking for any signs of the 45-year-old German returning to consciousness and recovery.
"It was clear from the start that this will be a long and hard fight for Michael," the statement said.
The seven-time Formula 1 champion suffered a severe head injury in skiing accident in the French Alps on 29 December.
At the time of the crash which took place in the resort of Meribel, Schumacher had been skiing at the speed of a very good skier, investigators probing the accident said, according to the BBC.
Investigators have also said that when he fell and hit a rock, he had been skiing off-piste. The events leading up to the crash was reconstructed days after the accident. Experts examined Schumacher's skiing equipment and viewed footage filmed by a camera that was attached to his helmet at the time of the crash.
The sporting legend, who retired from racing in 2012 after a 19-year career was put into a medically induced coma, which is often done by using powerful anesthetics similar to sedation or ventilatiors used during surgery.
Taking a patient out of the medically induced coma is a very delicate process as the coma is often induced to shut down many brain functions, to lower pressure and blood flow.
