“Michael suffered a head injury in a private ski trip in the French Alps,”
read the statement. “He was taken to hospital and is receiving professional
medical care. We ask for understanding that we cannot give continuous
information about his health. He was wearing a helmet and was not alone. For
his fall, no other person was involved.”
Resort director Christophe Gernigon-Lecomte said: “He was transferred by
helicopter to a hospital in Grenoble,” Gernigon-Lecomte told Radio Monte
Carlo Sport. “At the moment I am unaware of the gravity of his injury.
The police are in the process of investigating the cause of the fall.
“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.