Michael Schumacher
Ferrari's Formula One driver Michael Schumacher of Germany skis during his team's winter retreat in the Dolomite resort of Madonna Di Campiglio January 12, 2006. Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi

UPDATED: The news blackout on Formula 1 racing champ Michael Schumacher has given rise to questions and speculations regarding his real condition. Media companies report that fans, who have been following the racer's condition and praying for him, are asking for and deserve some updates about his condition. Niki Lauda, chairman of Mercedes, has also urged the family to be more transparent regarding Michael's health.

Since Schumacher slipped out of medically induced coma after almost three years since his skiing accident on Dec 29, 2013 when he fell and hit a rock while skiing off-piste in Meribel, not much have been heard about his condition.

In 2014, BBC quoted Sabine Kehm, manager of Schumacher, who issued a statement on behalf of the racer’s family that “Michael has left the CHU Grenoble to continue his long phase of rehabilitation.” The updates about his further rehabilitation, however, are far and few in between as the family deliberately him away from the public eye.

After Schumacher was moved out of a medically induced coma at the University Hospital Centre in Grenoble, he was transferred from Grenoble to Lausanne to his family residence in Lake Geneva where he has a team of specialists and private accommodation.

In April, Kehm disclosed that Schumacher was showing “moments of consciousness and awakening.” Luca Di Montezemolo, the German racer’s former boss at Formula One, confirmed that the champ is finally reacting to treatment, reports Movienewsguide.

Because of the accident, Corinna Betsch-Shumacher’s wife and a German equestrienne, sold their $25-million jet and holiday home to pay for the racer’s weekly maintenance cost of $140,000 made up of 15 medical professionals, reports Daily Mail.

According to neurosurgeon Tony Belli, rehabilitation for the type of injury, traumatic head injury, sustained by Schumacher could take months or years. Some people have spent three to four years in rehabilitation. “It depends very much on the severity of the injury, how young or fit they are,” he explains.