Michael Schumacher is in a critical but stable condition and it is believed his life was saved by his skiing helmet, which split on impact

Michael Schumacher is "waking up very slowly" from a medically induced coma after he suffered severe head injuries from a skiing accident last December, his teenage son has confirmed.

The former Formula 1 world champion, 45, is currently being treated at his home in Switzerland following six critical months of care at a hospital in France, where the incident took place.

Mick Schumacher, a 15-year-old racing protégé, provided French F1 commentator Jean-Louis Moncet with the most recent update on his condition.

"I saw his son and he told me that Schumi is waking up very slowly; very slowly," Moncet told Europe 1 radio.

"Although things are going at a slow pace, he has a lot of time, I would say he has his whole life in front of him to get back on track."

He went on to add that the veteran driver as "still fighting" as he is cared for by a team of 15 medical experts at a specially built medical suite in his Swiss mansion.

Tipped to follow in his father’s footsteps, Mick Schumacher came runner-up at the karting world championships in France in September, and won second place in the German junior kart championships last week.

He had been racing under his mother Corinna’s maiden name Betsch, but has since changed to using the title Mick Schumacher Jnr.

Schumacher Senior was recently discharged from a rehabilitation clinic in Lausanne to return home with his wife and children.

Updates on his condition have been sparse, although fans were no doubt uplifted by some encouraging words from Ferrari boss Jean Todt last week.

"We must assume that Schumacher can lead a relatively normal life again within a short period of time,"said Todt.

"We can say he can probably never drive a Formula 1 car again. But he is fighting.

"His condition improved, and what is just as important is the fact that he is now at home with his family."

Belfast Telegraph