GETTY IMAGES Ross Brawn said there is still hope for Michael Schumacher

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Ross Brawn, who ran the Ferrari F1 team during the German legend's time in the famous red car, says he keeps in touch with Schumacher's family. He has visited Formula One's most successful driver a number of times and while Mr Brawn said the seven times world champion's recovery progress is "slow" he remains positives. Schumacher is currently involved in a battle to recover from catastrophic brain injuries suffered during a ski accident in 2013.

GETTY IMAGES Michael Schumacher won five world championships in his Ferrari

We just keep praying every day that he’ll recover to a stage where…it's slow, but there's always hope. Ross Brawn

Mr Brawn, the former team principal of Ferrari and Mercedes, said: "I do keep in touch [with Schumacher’s family], but we try and keep a balance of going to see him against calling, and not being a pain. I’ve been to see him a few times; Corinna, his wife, calls me occasionally and keeps me updated. "We just keep praying every day that he’ll recover to a stage where…it's slow, but there's always hope."

GETTY IMAGES Michael Schumacher was Formula One World Champion seven times

Mr Brawn has been instrumental throughout Schumacher's glittering Formula One career. He served as technical director for the Benetton team from 1991 until 1996, where Schumacher won his first two world championships. He then joined Ferrari in 1997 - along with Schumacher - and helped him to win five titles with the Scudderia. Schumacher's career saw him amass a record seven world titles and the most amount of wins (91) ever for a driver.

GETTY IMAGES Michael Schumacher suffered devastating injuries in a skiing accident

The F1 legend has been battling for his life ever since he suffered catastrophic head injuries in December 2013 during a ski accident. While going across an area that was not on piste, Schumacher hit his head on a rock and was needed emergency brain surgery. He was placed in a medically induced coma for nearly six months but then in June 2014 was discharged from hospital and has since been receiving medical care at home.

Michael Schumacher F1 Legend Thu, July 30, 2009 Play slideshow 1 of 12

However, his recovery and current condition has been shrouded in secrecy - with official updates few and far between. Schumacher has reportedly been left paralysed following the tragic ski accident but those claims are unconfirmed. Earlier this month Express.co.uk reported that Schumacher was running up a care bill of £115,000 a week, with the total costs for the F1 racing legend hitting £12million. He remains under the care of a 15-strong team of physicians, nurses and medical technologists at his custom-built mansion home on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

GETTY IMAGES Ross Brawn says there's still hope for Michael Schumacher