Formula One: Schumacher Out for 12 Weeks
July 1: Ralf Schumacher's Williams career may be over after he sustained two cracked vertebrae in a crash at the US grand prix.
Ralf Schumacher marked his 29th birthday yesterday knowing that his career with the Williams team may be over. Doctors in Germany said that he sustained two cracked vertebrae when he crashed at the US grand prix on June 20.
The doctors at the clinic in Bad Neuheim have forecast that Schumacher may be unable to race for between eight and 12 weeks.
"To be honest I had imagined my birthday would be rather different," said Schumacher. "Yesterday's diagnosis was a real blow but I must now concentrate on my recovery."
His place in the team, alongside Juan Pablo Montoya in Sunday's French grand prix, will be taken by the Williams test driver Marc Gene who deputised for Schumacher in last year's Italian grand prix when the German was injured.
A 12-week lay-off would mean Schumacher might be not be able to compete before the Japanese grand prix on October 10, with the season's finale in Brazil a fortnight later.
Williams are looking for two new drivers next season, as Montoya is switching to McLaren and Schumacher is tipped for a move to Toyota.
Frank Williams refused to speculate as to who was likely to drive the car beyond Sunday's race at Magny-Cours, although team sources hinted that it would be logical for the Spaniard Gene to continue in the seat, at least for the British grand prix seven days later.
Continued speculation that Jacques Villeneuve, who won the 1997 world championship driving a Williams, would test for the team in the near future drew no comment from Williams.
However, a team insider played down the likelihood of Villeneuve being recruited to race this year, although he acknowledged it was possible the team would give him a test before the end of the season.
After a meeting of the world governing body, the FIA, yesterday its president Max Mosley said that a calendar had been drafted for next season with 19 dates on it, one more than this season.
The meeting was supposed to be the deadline for setting new engine regulations to reduce speeds but Mosley said that had not been done.
The doctors at the clinic in Bad Neuheim have forecast that Schumacher may be unable to race for between eight and 12 weeks.
"To be honest I had imagined my birthday would be rather different," said Schumacher. "Yesterday's diagnosis was a real blow but I must now concentrate on my recovery."
His place in the team, alongside Juan Pablo Montoya in Sunday's French grand prix, will be taken by the Williams test driver Marc Gene who deputised for Schumacher in last year's Italian grand prix when the German was injured.
A 12-week lay-off would mean Schumacher might be not be able to compete before the Japanese grand prix on October 10, with the season's finale in Brazil a fortnight later.
Williams are looking for two new drivers next season, as Montoya is switching to McLaren and Schumacher is tipped for a move to Toyota.
Frank Williams refused to speculate as to who was likely to drive the car beyond Sunday's race at Magny-Cours, although team sources hinted that it would be logical for the Spaniard Gene to continue in the seat, at least for the British grand prix seven days later.
Continued speculation that Jacques Villeneuve, who won the 1997 world championship driving a Williams, would test for the team in the near future drew no comment from Williams.
However, a team insider played down the likelihood of Villeneuve being recruited to race this year, although he acknowledged it was possible the team would give him a test before the end of the season.
After a meeting of the world governing body, the FIA, yesterday its president Max Mosley said that a calendar had been drafted for next season with 19 dates on it, one more than this season.
The meeting was supposed to be the deadline for setting new engine regulations to reduce speeds but Mosley said that had not been done.
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