Todt: 'Long road' still ahead of Schumi

LAKE GENEVA, Switzerland - Michael Schumacher still has "a long and hard road ahead of him", the F1 legend's friend Jean Todt said this week.

On Tuesday (Oct 7) it was reported that International Automobile Federation president Todt had told Belgian broadcaster RTL, after visiting Schumacher at his lakeside home, that the great German "can live a relatively normal life within a short period of time".

LOST IN TRANSLATION?

The quote was translated from print reports that appeared on Monday on the specialist Dutch website formule1.nl and the Dutch-language Belgian newspaper HLN. Subsequent investigations have revealed that Todt's comments were made to French radio RTL, Todt, 68, sounding optimistic about the future of his former Ferrari colleague.

However, it was the reporter who had asked Todt if Schumacher would one day live "a normal life" to which the former Ferrari boss answered: "One can only hope.

"We can say he will probably not be able to drive in Formula 1. He has made progress in recent weeks and months, but there is still a long and hard road ahead of him.

"He needs time and rest. He fights and one can hope that things will improve quickly."

Pressed for details about Schumacher's current condition, including whether the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver could move and speak, Todt insisted: "I do not want to say because it is a very personal matter.

"What is important is that he is alive and his family is around him."