Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has remained out of the spotlight since his devastating skiing accident more than 12 years ago. Fresh reports have now provided insight into the 57-year-old's ability to communicate.

The F1 icon suffered life-changing injuries on December 29, 2013, when he struck a rock whilst skiing in the French Alps. His skis clipped a rock, sending him headfirst into another. He sustained a severe brain injury, was airlifted to a specialist trauma centre in Grenoble and spent nearly six months in a medically induced coma.

In 2014, it was confirmed that the German had emerged from the coma and was continuing his recovery at home. Since then, his time has been divided between the family home in Switzerland and a property in Majorca.

The Schumacher family have fiercely guarded their privacy, with the seven-time world champion not being seen publicly since the incident. This media silence has created uncertainty around Schumacher's present condition, though fresh reports have now emerged detailing his communication abilities.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page

More than 12 years on from the accident, the Mail has published an extensive report on Schumacher, which dispelled speculation that the German had attended his daughter Gina-Maria's wedding in 2024. The report also suggests he is no longer bedridden and can now sit upright in a wheelchair. Staff are reportedly able to transport Schumacher around his properties.

• Michael Schumacher's massive weekly bill for health care revealed in update on condition

• Michael Schumacher's 12-year health riddle from 'communicating with eyes' to leaked pics

Crucially, the report indicates that while Schumacher may grasp some of what he is told, he cannot communicate his response to others. Sources suggest the F1 legend can comprehend much of what happens around him, though it's claimed not everything registers fully.

This conflicts with earlier accounts of how Schumacher interacts with people. In 2020, Elisabetta Gregoraci, former wife of ex-Benetton boss Flavio Briatore, told Spanish media that the German cannot speak but communicates through his eyes.

She said: "Michael doesn't speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him, and I know who they are. They moved to Spain and his wife has set up a hospital in that house."

Only a select few have access to the Formula 1 legend, primarily his closest family members. Schumacher wed his wife Corinna in 1995, and together they have two children. Their son Mick pursued his father's Formula 1 legacy, racing for Haas between 2021 and 2022, and is due to compete in the IndyCar Series for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing this year.

Recent reports indicate that Corinna serves as his main carer, overseeing his privacy and daily regimen. In the 2021 Netflix documentary 'Schumacher', she spoke candidly about the devastating accident and the difficult years since.

"Shortly before it happened in Meribel, he said to me: 'The snow isn't optimal. We could fly to Dubai and go skydiving there,'" revealed Corinna. "I have never blamed God for what happened.

"It was just really bad luck, all the bad luck anyone can have in life. It's always terrible when you say, 'Why is this happening to Michael or us?' But then why does it happen to other people?

"Of course, I miss Michael every day. But it's not just me who misses him. The children, the family, his father, everyone around him. I mean, everybody misses Michael."