Schumacher occasionally conscious

GRENOBLE, France -- Michael Schumacher is now showing "moments of consciousness and awakening" more than three months after suffering serious head injuries in a skiing accident, the retired Formula One star's manager said Friday.

Schumacher, 45, fell while skiing in France on Dec. 29 and hit the right side of his head on a rock, cracking his helmet. Doctors operated to remove blood clots from his brain, although some were left because they were too deeply embedded.

His condition stabilized after he was placed in a drug-induced coma.

In late January, doctors at a hospital in Grenoble began the process of withdrawing sedatives to try to wake him.

"Michael is making progress on his way," Schumacher's manager, Sabine Kehm, said in a statement. "He shows moments of consciousness and awakening."

"We are on his side during his long and difficult fight, together with the team of the hospital in Grenoble, and we keep remaining confident," Kehm said.

Kehm added that she and Schumacher's family "do not intend to disclose details. This is necessary to protect the privacy of Michael and his family, and to enable the medical team to work in full calmness."

Schumacher earned acclaim for his uncommon and sometimes ruthless driving talent, which took him to a record 91 race wins. He retired from Formula One in 2012 after winning an unmatched seven world titles.

The accident happened on a family vacation in the Alps as Schumacher was skiing with his 14-year-old son and others.