An ex-Formula 1 doctor believes that Michael Schumacher is unlikely to ever return to a normal way of life following his serious skiing accident last year.
The 45-year-old is undergoing rehabilitation at his Swiss home following six months in hospital in an induced coma after hitting his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in the French Alps on December 29.
The seven-time world champion awoke from a coma back in June, but Dr Gary Hartstein, who has known Schumacher for some time, believes that the world is witnessing the "long goodbye" of the sportsman.
"As time goes on it becomes less and less likely that Michael will emerge to any significant extent," the Daily Mail quotes Hartstein as saying. "Life expectancy for a comatose patient who does not improve neurologically is measured in months to a relatively few years."
In contrast, last month, French doctor Jean-Francois Payen claimed that Schumacher could recover from his injuries within three years.
Danielle Joynson
