Michael Schumacher's friend has spoken out about the rules regarding visiting the F1 legend following his devastating accident.
Over 13 years after his final race at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix on November 25, 2012, Schumacher is still one of the most talked about names in Formula One.
With a record seven World Drivers' Championships and 91 Formula 1 Grand Prix wins, the German driver is still considered by many to be the greatest of all time.
Unfortunately, just one year after retiring, Schumacher was involved in a life-altering skiing crash 12 years ago on December 29, 2013, resulting in severe head trauma that left him in a coma for some time.
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Since then Schumacher hasn't been seen in public, with only a select few able to visit the F1 legend, as the family have decided to maintain a high level of privacy.
Although the exact details of who can visit Schumacher are not known, a report from the Daily Mail, has claimed of nine people are able to see him - including wife Corinna and two children Mick and Gina-Maria.
But speaking exclusively with SPORTbible via Metaspins sport, Richard Hopkins, formerly Head of Operations at Red Bull and someone who become close friends with Schumacher around the paddock, has revealed what he knows about the inner circle.
“I think it’s fairly clear. There are only two, three, four people that we know of. There are probably others," Hopkins said.
"Michael had friendships with people who weren’t owners of Formula One teams or racing drivers, so I’m sure there are people who probably see him that we just don’t know about, because we don’t know their names."
Hopkins also addressed claims about the security surrounding Schumacher, after the F1 great's former security guard, Markus Fritsche, was involved in a horrific blackmail plot threatening to release 'intimate medical images'.
He added: “I’m sure he’s not behind armed guards at his bedroom door. But there are fairly strict rules, and we don’t talk about those rules.
"I’m not going to try and visit Michael, because I know that’s not going to happen, and I’m one of thousands in that position of knowing it’s not possible.
“If you’re Jean Todt, your friendship is at the point where that’s okay. I don’t think there’s a written rule or a list of names. It’s just one of those known things.”
It is not known exactly what kind of a condition Schumacher is now in, but it is understood that Schumacher cannot may not be able to communicate.
However, Hopkins revealed that he likes to believe stories he has heard that the 56-year-old is still able to watch and enjoy current Formula One races, despite his condition.
Hopkins said: "There have been reports over the years, and I don’t know if they’re true, that he watches races and reacts if something happens on the screen.
“I hope he does. Nobody wants to be in the potential position that Michael’s in. If he can watch Grands Prix and get some pleasure from that, when Formula 1 was his life, and if it’s still part of his life through that, then I hope that’s the case.
“I don’t know if it is, but I’d love to think it is."
Topics: Michael Schumacher, Formula 1
Ben McCrum