Schumacher doubtful for French Grand Prix

RALF SCHUMACHER faces a dilemma over whether to race at next month’s French Grand Prix following his second major shunt in a year.

Schumacher spent Sunday night in hospital under observation after suffering back pain and bruising from a smash into a wall at up to 200mph during Sunday’s United States Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The left-rear tyre punctured on Schumacher’s BMW Williams due to track debris left from a first corner accident, which accounted for four cars, on the first of the race’s 73 laps.

The 28-year-old was attended to after his car had come to rest in the middle of the circuit, with doctors on the scene to eventually take him to the track medical centre, and then to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Schumacher at least avoided the concussion he sustained during a test session at Monza last September in another serious accident, ruling him out of the Italian Grand Prix at which test driver Marc Gene deputised.

But there is every likelihood Schumacher will not race at Magny Cours, with Williams likely to ask Gene or Antonio Pizzonia to step in.

BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen conceded “there is a question mark” over the German for Magny Cours, adding: “When I saw the accident on television I didn’t think it was too severe because it was not a 90 degree impact into the wall.

“The car was sliding along the wall, and although it did hit it quite hard, I expected him not to be hurt at all.

“I was still worried and I understand because he had back pain they did not want to take any risks.

“Obviously, we all hope he recovers quickly and if he is ready to race, then he will do so, but if not then we will have to see what to do.”

But when asked as to Schumacher’s strength of character, Theissen cast a doubt, adding: “Wait and see. I cannot say now.”

Theissen feels the team’s strength of character is also in the spotlight after what boss Sir Frank Williams described as “another bad weekend”.

Williams’ woes were compounded when Juan Pablo Montoya was disqualified for the second successive race, black flagged 15 laps from home for an incident which took place just before the race started.

The Colombian was seen sprinting from the grid to the pits to collect the spare car just as the field was ready to pull away for the formation lap.

But stewards deemed he had not left the grid within the prerequisite 15 seconds of the start, with Theissen critical of the amount of time it took for the FIA to announce a decision.

“We would have preferred to have known immediately what was going on,” said Theissen.

“It happened prior to the formation lap, so there was plenty of time before the start and during the race to declare it was not correct.

“But sometimes things happen which shouldn’t happen and you have to get over them and learn.

“I think these are the moments the team can show it is really strong and I certainly expect us to overcome this situation and to press ahead with the developments we have running.

“We showed in Montreal, and here too, the car is coming and I am quite confident we will make progress and overcome this situation.”