A ‘very, very close’ confidant of Michael Schumacher has provided a health update on the Formula 1 star.

Schumacher has not been seen in public since his accident in 2013 and is being cared for by a team of medical staff, as well as his wife Corinna.

His wife has been very protective of his privacy and very little information about his current condition is known.

A close friend of the former Ferrari driver has now come forward.

Craig Scarborough, who has covered Formula 1 for around 25 years and interviewed Schumacher many times, says he has spoken to a ‘close’ confidant of the German.

He told The Sun: “I spoke to someone who is very, very close to him and they just explained we’re not going to hear any more from him.

“He’s in a comfortable position as far as he can be with his state of health.”

Scarborough’s update comes shortly after Flavio Briatore gave insight into the seven-time world champion’s condition, 12 years on from his skiing accident that left him with life changing injuries.

Braitore, 75, led Benetton when Schumacher won his first two world titles and now works as executive advisor to Alpine.

“If I close my eyes”, he told Corriere della Sera, “I see him smiling after a victory.

“I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed. Corinna and I talk often, though.”

Briatore’s update came after his ex-wife Elisabetta Gregoraci revealed: “Michael doesn’t speak, he communicates with his eyes.

“Only three people can visit him and I know who they are.”

When Briatore was asked who the greatest driver of all time is, he told Corriere de Sera: “I don’t know who the greatest is, because we’ve had Schumacher, Senna, Alonso.

“Now, the number one is definitely (Max) Verstappen. I have two cars at Alpine, so I would like to have two Verstappens.”