The wife of Michael Schumacher claims the seven-times Formula One world champion is slowly improving after spending six months in a coma following head injuries sustained in a skiing accident.

Nearly four weeks ago Schumacher was transferred from a hospital in Grenoble, where he had been cared for since the end of December, to the University Hospital in Lausanne closer to his home.

The 45-year-old is currently undergoing what was described at the time as "a long phase of rehabilitation".

This has allowed wife Corinna to make her first public appearance this week since her husband was involved in the accident in the French Alpine resort of Meribel.

Speaking to German women's magazine, Neue Post, Corinna was quoted as saying: "It's getting better, slowly certainly, but in any case it's improving."