Schumacher targets Hungarian comeback

Ralf Schumacher is desperate to get behind the wheel of a Formula One car again after his horror crash at Indianapolis.

The German, younger brother of world champion Michael Schumacher, crashed into a concrete wall backwards during the United States Grand Prix, cracking bones in his spine.

He is close to a comeback and has targeted the next round of the championship in Hungary – in three weeks – for his return to Williams.

Speaking at Hockenheim, the venue of this weekend’s German Grand Prix, Schumacher said: “Generally I feel OK, just some aches and pains depending on what I do, if I walk around too much.

“If it was my decision I would be back here but it’s not possible. I hope to be back in Hungary. I’d love to be back as soon as possible.

“We will find out in two weeks, we’ll have a shakedown in two weeks to see how the bone has developed and if it is stable enough so if we have another incident it doesn’t break again.

“There are some races to do, the team need me – I would like to come back and help them. I would like to be back with the improved car as soon as possible becase I think we can win some races this year. The improvements have been quite good.

“It was frustrating for the last few races but certainly to be back here was my personal target but it was not achievable. It is a shame.”

Schumacher’s injuries were not detected for several days after he was released from hospital in Indianapolis, leading some to criticise the American doctors for not spotting the problem.

But the 29-year-old was keen not to get involved in criticism of either the American doctors, or the medics at the track who were also under fire for seemingly taking a long time to reach his stricken Williams.

Schumacher said: “They tried everything they could, they did their best. They released me the next day because they thought there was no problem.

“I felt very well until a week after and then I didn’t feel well, I couldn’t move so I went for some checks. They were trying to look after me very well.

“It took little more than a minute to get to me out so that was okay. I wasn’t in the best position because they had to go around the circuit as they are not allowed to go against the traffic. I don’t think we should criticise, there are always things to improve.”

Schumacher’s seat at Williams was filled by test driver Marc Gene for France and Great Britain, but the Spaniard was dropped for this weekend’s race in favour of Antonio Pizzonia.

Schumacher feels Gene was hard done by and feels his big chance to prove he deserves a regular race drive may have passed.

“Marc did a good job,” he said. “It is a bit unfair. He is used to testing and racing is something totally different.

“He is a very nice person, he tried his best, obviously didn’t really succeed in qualifying for whatever reason and to really push in that one lap is not so easy, he is not used to that.

“If he had been in better positions after qualifying I am sure we would have seen much stronger races from him.

“I don’t know how big his chance is for next year now. You have to say team owners will have watched him and seen him drive not so good so it is going to be difficult, but he is a very good driver, no doubt.”