Michael Schumacher health latest as pal worries F1 legend is 'not okay'

 A former friend of Michael Schumacher would love to see the F1 great in public again, provided his health allows. The seven-time world champion was left with life-altering injuries after hitting his head on a rock while on a family skiing holiday in France in December 2013. In keeping with his approach throughout his illustrious racing career, Schumacher's privacy has been fiercely protected by his wife, Corinna. Therefore, little is known about his condition. While many in the F1 community and his fans around the world would like to see him again, former Red Bull head of operations Richard Hopkins, who used to mix with Schumacher during his time working at McLaren, insists he only wants to see the German icon if he is genuinely doing well.

Hopkins told iPredicta: "I hope we see him again. I'd love to. But only if that's right. I don't think anybody wants to see Michael in a situation we don't want to see Michael in, or Michael doesn't want us to see him in.

"So I'd love to see Michael, but I'd love to see Michael okay. I think 'okay' is the right word to use. But equally, at the same time, if he's not okay, I'd rather not.

"I don't know what Corinna thinks. I don't know what her thoughts on this are but maybe it's in some ways aligned to that, in as far as it's Michael.

He was the ultimate in strength, and I think she's protecting him more than maybe protecting herself and the family and everything else.

"I'd love to see Michael and have a chat with him, and have a coffee with Michael, rather than see him in a not-okay situation. So you've got to respect that."

A recently released Netflix documentary charted his maiden F1 title with Benetton in 1994, a tragic and controversial season that saw Ayrton Senna lose his life in a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix while being chased by Schumacher.

It includes contributions from Corinna and offers an intimate glimpse of the legendary driver away from the circuit. Hopkins said Schumacher was much friendlier than the cold individual he was perceived to be.

He said: "Schumacher was a very emotional guy, wore his heart on his sleeve, as far as occasions where he got emotionally angry, I suppose. Not necessarily emotionally sad.

"I'm sure there were other occasions when he did. The guy wasn't completely made of steel; he wasn't a bloody robot.

"He was a human being at the end of the day. So I'm sure behind closed doors a lot of what we saw was a bit of an act, dare I say, but I think that was all for his reasoning."