The small amount of people in Michael Schumacher's tight inner circle has been revealed following on from a shocking blackmail plot.
In 2013, following retirement from Formula One, seven-time world champion was involved in a horrific skiing accident in the French Alps while with his son Mick.
Airlifted to hospital, the German was placed in a medically-induced coma until June 2014 and it's said that wearing a ski helmet is what saved his life.
With it being understood that Schumacher cannot communicate, the family have attempted to maintain a high level of privacy.
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But that privacy was violated to a dangerous level when there was a blackmail plot from inside the inner circle.
There were threats to release 'intimate medical images', videos and records from a group who were demanding a sum of £12 million was paid.
It emerged that Schumacher's former security guard Markus Fritsche said to be the mastermind behind the extortion scheme alongside two other men - nightclub bouncer Yilmaz Tozturkan and his IT savvy son Daniel Lins.
The Schumacher family were not happy with the two-year suspended sentence handed to Fritsche, who denied any involvement.
"We have appealed against what we consider to be the far too lenient sentence for Mr F," a statement from a representative of Schumacher's wife, Corinna, said.
"In my opinion, he was the mastermind behind this. What still shocks me most is the massive breach of trust. He should receive a punishment that deters any potential copycats."
With that awful ordeal and a case where Schumacher's medical records were stolen and offered to media outlets to publish for a fee, the family are conscious about a repeat scenario and according to former manager Sabine Kehm, "led to the family maintaining a greater distance from the people who work for them, to being more cautious".
As per the Daily Mail, a total of nine people are in Schumacher's close quarters - including wife Corinna and two children Mick and Gina-Maria.
Former manager Kehm is also believed to be given regular access to the £50 million home in Switzerland, along with ex F1 chief Jean Todt and Ross Brawn, who worked with Schumacher as technical director of both Benetton and Ferrari.
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Felipe Massa, Gerhard Berger and Luca Badoer are believed to be the three former F1 drivers who are allowed to visit.
In an recent exclusive interview for SPORTbible, Richard Hopkins, formerly Head of Operations at Red Bull and someone who become close friends with Schumacher around the paddock, named three of the members of the inner circle.
Although maintaining a respect for the family and stressing that he is not privy to sensitive information, Hopkins did predict that Schumacher would not be seen in public again.
"I haven't heard anything recently," Hopkins admitted.
"I understand he has a Finnish doctor, a personal doctor. I don't think we'll see Michael again. I'm slightly uncomfortable talking about his condition because of how secretive, for the right reasons, the family wants to keep it.
"So I can make a remark, have an opinion, but I'm not in that inner circle. I'm not Jean Todt, I'm not Ross Brawn, I'm not Gerhard Berger, who visit Michael. I'm a long way from that."
"I can't say I'm best friends with Jean Todt, or Ross, or Gerhard. I think even if you were Ross Brawn's best friend, and you asked how well Michael was, and even if you plied Ross with a lot of good red wine, I don't think he would open up and share. I think there is that respect with anybody who goes to visit Michael not to share anything.
"That's the way the family wants it to be. I think that's fair and respectful towards the family. Even if I did know, the family would be disappointed if I shared anyway."
Racing for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes, Schumacher claimed 91 Grand Prix wins, 68 pole positions and 77 fastest laps in his decorated career.
Topics: Formula 1, Michael Schumacher
Josh Lawless