Michael Schumacher's friend has shared an unseen snap on Instagram, just a day after the driver's family posted a rare statement after a 'breach of trust'.
Schumacher is arguably the greatest driver in the history of F1, racing for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes and winning a record seven championships.
In a decorated career on the track, he claimed 91 wins, 68 pole positions and 77 fastest laps before retiring in 2012.
Just a year later, Schumacher was involved in a life-altering skiing accident in the French Alps and was airlifted to hospital before being placed in a medically-induced coma.
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It's said Schumacher's life was saved because he wore his ski helmet and he was taken out of the coma in June 2014.
Since then Schumacher's family have made a conscious effort to maintain a level of privacy but they were rocked by reports that there was a blackmail plot whereby a member of Schumacher's inner circle was threatening to release 'intimate medical images', videos and records.
Three men were arrested in Germany in the summer having been accused of demanding £12.5 million - with Schumacher's former security guard Markus Fritsche said to be the mastermind by the scheme.
Accused of sending over files to other suspects Yilmaz.T received a suspended sentence which the Schumacher family say they will be appealing.
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"We have appealed against what we consider to be the far too lenient sentence for Mr F," a statement from representative of Schumacher's wife, Corinna, read.
"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."
Schumacher's friend shares snap
A day after the statement, Dudu Sartor, a friend of Schumacher's, has shared a picture of he, the 56-year-old and his former Ferrari colleague Felipe Massa and other friends.
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The picture was captioned "Just to kill the longing!! We're together, little brother," and both Massa and Schumacher's accounts tagged.
Schumacher made a first public appearance in eleven years as he was reportedly seen in attendance at the wedding of his daughter Gina-Maria, who tied the knot with husband Iain Bethke.
At the wedding in Mallorca, it was reported that guests had to follow strict rules which saw mobile phones and cameras put away.
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No pictures of Schumacher have been published since his accident.
Topics: Michael Schumacher, Formula 1
Josh Lawless