Michael Schumacher’s rumored public appearance labeled 'fake news' by former teammate

Since the life-changing skiing accident in 2013, Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher was rumored to have made his first public appearance at his daughter Gina's wedding in September. However, former teammate Johnny Herbert claimed the news was fake during a recent interview.

The rumor of the seven-time F1 champion's appearance gained traction due to the location of the wedding ceremony. As reported by the Spanish media, a £27 million-worth private villa in Spain, was said to have been adapted according to the requirements of Schumacher's medical staff.

Herbert, who had partnered with Michael Schumacher in Benetton during the latter's championship-winning seasons, disregarded Schumacher's appearance at Gina's wedding as fake news in an interview with the US-based digital publication FlashscoreUSA.

"It will always be a closed shop. The most recent rumor was he attended his daughter’s wedding. Unfortunately, from what I understand that was all A1 fake news and no truth in it," Herbert said (as reported by The Sun).

Schumacher, considered the 'greatest-of-all-time' by a majority of the F1 community, was a force to reckon with during his time with Ferrari. However, his first few seasons as a driver for Benetton paved the path to greatness for the German racer. Despite being in a mid-field team, Schumacher was able to win two driver's titles (1994 and 1995) and helped the team win its only constructor's championship in 1995.

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"I don't think he leads a very active life" - Finnish neurosurgeon expresses disbelief regarding Michael Schumacher's rumored public appearance

Michael Schumacher races the Sauber Mercedes-Benz at the World Sportscar Championship 1991 - Source: Getty

Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher's rumored public appearance in 11 years was the biggest news in the F1 community in September. Apart from a select few people close to the Schumacher family, Michael's wife Corrina has kept the F1 legend's life a secret since the tragic accident.

However, Jussi Posti, a senior neurosurgeon from Finland, found rumors of the ailing German driver's appearance hard to believe, considering the limited information available on his health. Posti claimed that it would be difficult for Schumacher to lead an active life in an interview with the Finnish tabloid Iltalehti.

"If a hospital has been built in his house, with everything medicalised around him, it seems that he has been in hospital most of the time. Based on the information available, I don't think he leads a very active life,"

"Everything points to him being unwell. As bedridden patients, most people become so frail and stiff that it is no longer possible to get them out of bed after so many years. I doubt that anything sudden has changed at this stage. Typically, patients recover what they can recover for up to two years, and then the level of recovery is usually set," Posti added.

As an H.O.D of Neurosurgery and Neurorehabilitation and director of the Turku Brain Injury Center at Turku University Hospital, Posti is considered a leading name in the medical field in Finland. Apart from being a consultant surgeon at the hospital, he is also an adjunct professor of Neurotraumatology at the University of Helsinki.

This makes his insight on Michael Schumacher's health quite credible, considering his experience and expertise in the field of Neuroscience.