F1: Schumacher Condition Improving After Second Surgery, Still Critical

Michael Schumacher is now in a "stable" condition after a second round of surgery, his manager Sabine Kehm told reporters outside the hospital in Grenoble on Wednesday.

"The good news for today is there's no significant changes," she said.

However, Kehm warned that seven time world champion Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, remains in a "critical" condition.

"Michael is monitored all the time but his condition was stable all night," she is quoted by Bild newspaper. As for whether the great German's life remains in danger, Kehm answered: "I'd rather not comment."

She did deny reports the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver had fallen from his skis last Sunday because he was going too fast.

"Michael was not going very fast," Kehm insisted. "But unfortunately as he took the turn, we assume, he hit the rock and was catapulted upwards and then struck a rock head-first."

It also emerges that the Grenoble university hospital is considering banning journalists who are covering the Schumacher story, after a series of incidents.

The worst involved a journalist disguising himself as a priest and trying to enter Schumacher's room, where he lays in coma.

"I wouldn't have ever imagined something like this could happen," Kehm told the Die Welt newspaper.

SID news agency quoted Kehm as saying important hospital work has been disturbed by journalists, after some of the 100 reporters on site were repeatedly blocked from entering the emergency room.

(GMM)