Speaking to reporters outside the hospital where Michael Schumacher is being treated, his spokesperson Sabine Kehm confirmed that he "remains stable".

In deplorable scenes outside the Grenoble hospital where the seven-time champion is being treated, journalists and photographers fought for position, their swearing and shouting drowning out Kehm's comments.

Having repeatedly asked for silence, Ms Kehm, clearly exasperated by the scrum, finally told the assemble throng: "I’m available here, you don't have to hurry. I am available for questions, you don't have to shout or push”.

Calling once again for quiet, she then said: "Michael's condition has..." before once again being drowned out by the warring journalists and photographers.

Her frustration growing, she continued: "I will repeat this only once, OK? Michael's condition has been supervised all night and has remained stable for the night and also now. So the good news for today is that we do not have the feeling to hold a press conference as there is no significant change.

"This is good news for the moment," she added, "but I repeat for the moment, because overall the situation is still critical, that he remains in an artificial coma and this is all I can say. I don't want to go into any further speculation about any outcomes or prospects."

Chris Balfe: