The first good news on the condition of injured Formula One legend Michael Schumacher in months has emerged, with a statement to the media from his manager Sabine Kehm confirming the seven-time world champion has left the French hospital he’s been in since the skiing accident last December that nearly ended his life. Crucially, Kehm’s statement said Schumacher was no longer in the coma doctors had induced immediately after the accident so that they could treat haemorrhaging in his brain.

No further clues about Schumacher’s condition were given in the statement, but Kehm did say the former racing driver left the hospital to “continue his long phase of rehabilitation.” She also said the further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye. It’s believed Schumacher is now being treated at Lausanne university hospital in Switzerland.

As Fox News points out, today’s statement was the first substantial update since Kehm said in early April that Schumacher "shows moments of consciousness and awakening." And in March, Schumacher’s family issued a statement saying they saw “small, encouraging signs.”

Schumacher, 45, was being treated at Grenoble University Hospital Center where he was put in an induced coma almost immediately after his accident and had surgery performed to treat haemorrhaging in his brain caused by the impact of his head on a rock. Fortunately, he was wearing a helmet at the time, and this almost certainly saved his life—the impact was hard enough to split the helmet.

Doctors started the waking process of Schumacher as far back as January.

_______________________________________

Follow Motor Authority on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.