As Andy Moore reports, fans of the driver have been gathering
at the hospital where he is being treated
Michael Schumacher, the seven-time
Formula 1 champion, is in a critical condition after a skiing accident, says the
French hospital treating him.
The 44-year-old German suffered serious brain trauma, was in a coma on
arrival and underwent a brain operation.
He was skiing off-piste with his son in the French Alps on Sunday when the
accident occurred.
Schumacher was wearing a helmet when he fell and hit his head against a rock,
his manager Sabine Kehm said.
Early reports had said his condition was not life-threatening and he
reportedly walked away from the accident complaining only of feeling a bit
shaken.
Michael Schumacher
- Born: 3 January 1969
- First GP win: Belgium 1992
- Last GP win: China 2006
- Races started: 303
- Wins: 91 (155 podium finishes)
- Championships: 7 (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
The accident took place in the French ski resort of
Meribel on Sunday morning.
The resort's director, Christophe Gernignon-Lecomte, said Schumacher was
attended to by two ski patrollers who requested helicopter evacuation to the
nearby valley town of Moutiers.
He was subsequently moved to the bigger facility at Grenoble, in south-east
France. His wife Corinna and two children are with him.
"Mr Schumacher was admitted to the University Hospital of Grenoble at 12:40
[11:40 GMT], following a skiing accident which occurred in Meribel in the late
morning," the Grenoble hospital said in a statement.
"He suffered a severe head injury with coma on arrival, which required
immediate neurosurgical intervention. He remains in a critical situation."
The hospital statement was signed by the facility's neurosurgeon, the
professor in charge of its anaesthesia/revival unit, and the hospital's deputy
director, reports said.
F1 journalist Peter Windsor: "Racing drivers, including
Michael, do have this propensity to push everything to the limit"
A hospital official declined to give more details and said more information
would be given out on Monday, said Reuters news agency.
Experts say it is likely that his brain began to swell and the urgent surgery
was required to relieve the pressure, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield in
Paris.
'Like a father'
Professor Gerard Saillant, a close ally and friend of Schumacher, and his
former Ferrari team boss Jean Todt are at the hospital.
Prof Saillant is an expert in brain and spine injury. He oversaw Schumacher's
medical care when the German broke his leg in the 1999 British GP.
The German, who is due to turn 45 on 3 January, retired from F1 for a second
time in 2012.
Schumacher won seven world championships and secured 91 race victories during
his 19-year career.
He won two titles with Benetton, in 1994 and 1995, before switching to
Ferrari in 1996 and going on to win five straight titles from 2000.
The retired race driver was
reportedly conscious when he was airlifted to hospital
After the German retired in 2006, he was seriously hurt in a motorcycling
accident in Spain three years later, during which he suffered neck and spine
injuries.
But Schumacher managed to recover and made a comeback in F1 with Mercedes in
2010.
After three seasons which yielded just one podium finish, he quit the sport
at the end of last year.
F1 drivers from around the globe have expressed their shock at the news of
the accident.
British ex-racer Martin Brundle, who was Schumacher's F1 teammate at
Benetton,
tweeted:
"Come on Michael, give us one of those race stints at pure qualifying pace to
win through, like you used to. You can do it."
Brazilian driver Felipe Massa
posted a picture of himself and
Schumacher on Instagram, with the Portuguese message: "I'm praying for God to
protect you, brother!"