The wife of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, Corinna, thanked fans of the sport for their unrelenting support to the seven-time champion who is recuperating in a Swiss hospital after figuring in a horrific skiing accident last December.

Corinna Schumacher used the official program for the German Grand Prix scheduled on Sunday to express her heartfelt thanks. The 45-year old Schumacher is one of the greatest sporting heroes in German history.

In her letter, Mrs. Schumacher said she was 'blown away' by the support to their family. She also hinted that the next stage of her husband's recuperation would take a long time. Schumacher was taken out of coma last June and is now confined in a hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Part of her letter read, via Telegraph UK: "ear motorsport friends, this is a message to all of you who have lived a passion for Michael's sport in all the years together with him, and who have supported him the past half year off the track as well."

She continued: "The German Grand Prix gives me the perfect opportunity to cordially thank you for the good wishes and positive energies you keep sending Michael. I have to say your sympathies literally blew us all away! Good to know that together we made it through the hardest time!"

Mrs. Schumacher has been very private, preferring to take a low profile after her husband's accident. Last week, she was interviewed by the German newspaper Neue Post where she said that her husband's state was improving.