Michael Schumacher has started to recognise family members, according to someone claiming to be a family friend.

Philippe Streiff, a former Formula One driver, told French media Schumacher 'has yet to recover the power of speech' but is 'nevertheless starting to recognise those close to him'.

Schumacher suffered severe head injuries in a ski accident in Meribel in the French Alps a year ago on Monday.

The former Formula One ace emerged from an induced coma in June, and left hospital in September.

In an interview with Le Parisien, Streiff said he had learned of Schumacher's progress from his wife, Corinna, and surgeon, Gerard Saillant. Streiff said Schumacher had 'very limited' movement but was working on sitting upright, and that 'long term...he could hope one day to walk with crutches.'

However, Schumacher's manager has disputed the comments, saying the 45-year-old faces a 'long fight' for recovery and that Streiff is not a family friend. 'We need a long time,' Sabine Kehm said. 'He is making progress appropriate to the severity of the situation.'