Schumacher's family says he 'will' recover

Formula One champion Michael Schumacher's family 'strongly believes' that he would recover from the ski accident he met with last year, which has left him battling for his life.

Schumacher met with the accident on December 29th and is since in a state of come at a French hospital.

According to the Daily Express, family of the former racer said that the most important element of his recovery was not the speed but that it progressed in a 'continuous and controlled way'.

The family issued a statement in wake of media reports that Schumacher had contracted pneumonia, and said that they would continue to give updates about his health and thanked for the good wishes pouring in from Schumacher's fans all over the world.

The report said that Schumacher's manager refused to comment on media reports that he had contracted a lung infection.

Meanwhile, medical director of the Centre for Spine Surgery and Neuro-Traumatology at the BG Hospital in Frankfurt, Andreas Pingel, said that about 30 to 50 percent of all patients who lie in a coma as long as Schumacher has, get the infection.