“He fell at 11:07am, whilst off piste in Meribel. He was wearing a helmet and
hit a rock. The emergency services arrived quickly at 11:15am … He was in
shock, a little shaken but conscious. It might be a head injury but it’s not
serious.”
Gernigon-Lecomte was slightly more circumspect in a separate interview with
Reuters. “It seems that he has suffered a head trauma, but I would not say
how serious it is,” he said. “He was conscious but very agitated while being
taken to hospital.”
Schumacher, who retired for a second time at the end of the 2012 season, is an
experienced skier, having attended many editions of Wrooom, Ferrari’s annual
pre-season event in the Italian Dolomites, which ended this year after 23
consecutive years.
The German is the most successful driver ever to have competed in Formula One,
having won seven drivers’ titles, two at Benetton and five at Ferrari,
before retiring at the end of the 2006 season. After three years out, he
made a comeback with Mercedes when the German manufacturer returned to the
sport as a full works team at the start of 2010.
Schumacher lives in Switzerland with his wife and two children. He is believed
to own a chalet in Meribel.