The nephew of F1 legend Michael Schumacher suffered a broken spine after being involved in a horrific fireball crash during a weekend race in Germany.
David Schumacher, 20, was taking part in the Hockenheim DTM competition Saturday when he collided with driver Thomas Preining’s car during Lap 6, Motorsport magazine reported.
The impact sent both cars off the track and towards the barriers.
David Schumacher, the nephew of racing legend Michael Schumacher, broke his spine after crashing during a race in Germany. Photo by Alex Grimm – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty ImagesThe crash also caused Dennis Olsen, of Norway, to lose control of his Porsche and slam into the barriers, causing the vehicle to momentarily burst into flames.
David, whose father is former F1 racer Ralf Schumacher, was initially cleared by medics after the collision, but subsequent scans revealed that he had a broken spine.
“When David came home, he was still complaining about back pain,” his father told the German news agency dpa, as reported by Motorsport magazine. “It turned out that a lumbar vertebra was broken.”
The 20-year-old will not require a surgery but will have to wear a back brace for his injury. He is expected to make a full recovery after about six weeks.
His famous uncle, seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher, suffered a debilitating brain injury in 2013 while skiing in the French Alps.
The 53-year-old F1 ace has been recovering at his home by Lake Geneva in Switzerland under the watchful eye of his family, which has been exceedingly tight-lipped about his condition.
Schumacher’s son, 23-year-old Mick Schumacher, is an F1 driver for Haas.
