Michael Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm updated reporters and fans on the racer's condition following his coma and subsequent return to consciousness, saying there is still a "long fight" ahead before reaching full recovery, Daily Mail reported.
It has a been year since the Dec. 29, 2013 skiing incident in the French Alps in Meribel that put the Formula One racer in a coma. While the man's awakening in June was celebrated, the unfortunate accident left him with brain damage, paralysis, the inability to speak and inability to recognize and more.
Kehm tried to reassure the media and fans. In a telephone interview with Reuters, she said, "We need a long time. It's going to be a long time and a hard fight. He is making progress appropriate to the severity of the situation."
Schumacher was discharged from the hospital in September and his wife Corinna and two teenaged children Mick and Gina Marie now care for him at the family home in Switzerland near Lake Geneva, according to CNN.
The family is also seeking the help of brain specialist Gerard Saillant for Schumacher's recovery, according to BBC.
Philippe Streiff, a fellow F1 driver, shared news about Schumacher's alleged progress, recovery and current state, claiming that this was information gleaned from Schumacher's wife and Saillant, according to CNN.
According to Streiff's interview with Le Parisien on Sunday, Schumacher had yet to recover his speech abilities but has started to recognize the people close to him and communicates through his eyes. He also had very limited movement, but has started to sit upright with the long term goal of hopefully being able to walk on crutches, according to Daily Mail.
However, both Saillant and Kehm disputed the claims.
The doctor released a statement, saying "For a year, I have never had any contact, verbal, written or physical with Phillipe Streiff," according to BBC.
Kehm, on the other hand, disputed the claims in a statement to Reuters, calling them "factually wrong."
"I cannot confirm that. I can only confirm that I do now know where Mr. Streiff has his information from because he has no contact with us and he never has," she said.
An outpouring of support for the German racer came flooding in from fans and members of the F1 community as the first year anniversary of the incident passed, according to CNN.
Lotus driver Romain Grosjean, Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat and the Mercedes team with whom Schumacher drove for from 2010 to 2012 were just among the few who sent out tweets in support of Schumacher, adding in the hashtag #KeepFightingMichael.
