Friend of Michael Schumacher's family attempted to sell 'secret' photographs of the F1 legend for A$1.7 million

Michael Schumacher’s family fought to keep ‘secret’ photos from surfacing online after a ‘friend’ leaked images of the Formula One driver following his tragic accident.

No photos or videos of the legendary driver have been made public since his skiing accident in 2013 that left him with brain trauma.

The Sun reports that a family friend had attempted to sell snaps of the former racer taken in 2016, three years after the incident.

The ‘friend’ had reportedly taken the snaps at Schumacher’s Lake Geneva home and was attempting to sell them for $A1.77 million (£1 million).

The former Ferrari and Mercedes driver had been recovering in his Switzerland family home alongside his family.

The friend, whose identity had not been made public, allegedly visited the injured driver and took the opportunity to take a snap of the 53-year-old.

They then smuggled the images out of the family home and attempted to auction them off to multiple publications.

German prosecutors confirmed that an ‘unknown person’ had taken the ‘secret’ snaps and were attempting to sell them for ‘high amounts of money’.

James Moy / Alamy

Despite calling it a ‘violation of his personal range of life’ the authorities have reportedly put the investigation on hold.

However, Schumacher’s wife Corinna is demanding police take action.

The publication which was offered the exclusive of the images refused to reveal its source, with the outlet claiming it never saw any of the images anyway.

Not much has been heard about Schumacher’s life since the incident.

However, last week former Ferrari boss Jean Todt gave a rare update on the driver after remaining in his tight circle following the ordeal.

Todt told a German TV channel: "I don't miss Michael, I see him. Yes, it's true, I watch races with Michael.

"But sure, I guess what I miss is what we used to do together."

He admitted that he ‘hopes the world’ will be able to see his friend again, revealing that the driver has ‘never changed’.

He said: “I don't leave him alone. Him, Corinna, the family, we've had so many experiences together.

"The beauty of what we have experienced is part of us and it goes on.

"Sometimes success and money changes you. But Michael has never changed. He's so strong."