Piero Ferrari: “Michael Schumacher was incredibly precise, but also an emotional driver”. Updates on the former Ferrari driver's condition and health have been scarce.

Italian billionaire businessman Piero Ferrari, the second and only living son of Enzo Ferrari, has described Scuderia Ferrari and Formula One legend Michael Schumacher as an “emotional driver” more than four years since the gifted sportsman’s near-fatal skiing accident.

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion suffered a traumatic brain injury after a horrific ski accident in France in December 2013, while updates on the former Ferrari driver’s condition and health have been scarce with his family choosing to maintain Schumacher’s privacy. But Italian billionaire Piero Ferrari has spoken out on the driver. Speaking to the Munich-based tabloid TZ, the Ferrari vice chairman said: “Michael Schumacher was incredibly precise, he took all the data home with him to analyse in peace. He also said Schumacher was an “emotional driver”.

Discussing four time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, in the interview, the Ferrari boss added: “A true champion brings in his own qualities. And Lewis obviously has a lot of it. From the outside Hamilton looks extravagant, but in truth he is not so.”

Scuderia Ferrari paid tribute to Michael Schumacher as the company prepared for the Australian Grand Prix, the first race of the 2018 Formula 1 season, as a huge sign with the words “Michael Forever” were written on the side of the track along with the Ferrari logo. In November, Schumacher’s wife Corinna Betsch told the press: “The decision to protect his privacy from the public has been taken in Michael’s interest. We have made it very clear that something serious has happened.”

Mmanager Sabine Kehm said the family appreciates all the messages of support from fans around the world: “What can be said is that the family really appreciates the empathy of the fans. The people really do see and understand (his health situation) is not to be shared in the public eye.”

The recent message, issued four years on from his tragic accident, did not include any updates about Michael Schumacher’s current condition.