F1 legend Michael Schumacher’s nephew David breaks spine in horror crash
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The nephew of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has broken his spine in a horror crash in Germany.
David Schumacher was injured after a collision with Thomas Preining during Saturday’s DTM event at the Hockenheimring.
Both cars battled for position after a safety car restart when they made contact with brakes at turn eight, hitting the barriers before bouncing back onto the track.
David Schumacher’s Mercedes – nephew of Formula 1 legend Michael – is lifted off the track in Hockenheim after a smash in a DTM race over the weekend
Schumacher, 20, was initially acquitted after the crash, but further scans revealed he had broken his back and will need six weeks to recover.
The ensuing chaos caused Dennis Olsen’s SSR Porsche to lose control of the wheel and engine parts flying out of his car briefly ignited in a fireball on the track.
Schumacher’s Winward Mercedes and several other vehicles were heavily damaged and the race was red flagged.
All the drivers involved were taken for medical checkups and Schumacher, 20, who is the son of ex-Formula 1 driver Ralf, was initially given the all-clear.
Closer examination later in the week revealed that a lumbar vertebra in his back had been fractured.
The race at Hockenheim had just started again when Schumacher and Thomas Preining collided under the brakes in turn eight
Debris was ejected when both drivers collided with the guardrails on the side of the track
Images on board Preining’s car showed the moment when Schumacher drove away in front of him
Ralf Schumacher told Motorsport magazine: “When David came home, he was still complaining of back pain.
“Then we decided to go to a hospital in Salzburg to have an MRI. It turned out that a lumbar vertebra was broken.
“According to the treating doctors, this means a break of about six weeks for David.”
The DTM series ended over the weekend, meaning Schumacher will not miss a race during his six-week rehabilitation and will not require surgery.
Chaos ensued when the cars collided with parts from Dennis Olsen’s car, which crashed into the opposite barrier and ignited shortly on the track
A fireball exploded on the track from engine parts ejected from Olsen’s car as cars collided and sped off in all directions, causing the race to go red
Preining blamed Schumacher for the crash, but Schumacher’s mother Cora hit back on social media.
She wrote: ‘David Schumacher is doing well, that’s the most important thing.
‘Still I have to say that I don’t think it’s okay at all that Thomas Preining makes negative comments about our son every time without any self-reflection.
“He had oversteered himself and was unable to control his car. It’s always easier to find fault with others.’
His uncle Michael, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, has been out of sight since he suffered a serious brain injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps in December 2013.
Marshalls clear debris from track after Saturday’s multi-car collision
The crash sparked an argument between Schumacher’s mother Cora and rival driver Preining over who was to blame
Thomas Preining’s car is shown with extensive damage as the track was cleared of debris
Schumacher looks on after race was red flagged and sustained back injuries
He was placed in a medically admitted coma in 2014 and taken to his childhood home in Switzerland.
In 2019, former Ferrari manager Jean Todt said Schumacher is “making good progress” but “struggling to communicate”. Todt said the former racer was able to watch F1 on television at home.
However, updates on his health remain scarce.
David Schumacher speaks with his father Ralf, the former F1 driver, at a previous DTM race
The future of David’s cousin Mick Schumacher is in the air with Haas yet to renew his contract, which expires at the end of the current F1 season.
He crashed during the first practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend and then finished 17th in the race.
Updates on the health of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, who suffered serious brain damage in a 2013 skiing accident, are scarce