Michael Schumacher's family rocked by brutal news about nephew David

Michael Schumacher's nephew David has suffered a fractured spine after a horrific crash in a Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters race in Germany on Saturday.

David Schumacher, the son of former F1 driver Ralf, collided with Thomas Preining’s car during the race in Hockenheim as they battled for position.

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Dennis Olsen’s car then igniting into a fireball after Schumacher and Preining's cars were sent flying into the barriers and back onto the track.

The race was subsequently red-flagged and Schumacher was able to walk away from the incident seemingly unscathed.

The 20-year-old was initially given the all-clear after a medical check, but subsequent scans have revealed a fracture in one of his lumbar vertebra.

Ralf Schumacher, the brother of F1 legend Michael, told Motorsport magazine: “When David came home, he was still complaining about back pain.

“We then decided to go to a hospital in Salzburg to have a MRI done. It turned out that a lumbar vertebra was broken.

“According to the treating physicians, this means a break of around six weeks for David.”

The news comes as a new blow for the Schumacher family, with the health of David's uncle Michael still largely a mystery in the wake of a devastating skiing accident in 2013.

The Ferrari legend's family have been notoriously private about his condition in the years that have followed, with details around his health extremely scarce.

However FIA president and former Ferrari boss Jean Todt has been visiting Schumacher regularly and providing snippets of information to the public.

“I don’t miss Michael, I see him,” Todt said in an interview with German TV channel RTL in July.

“Yes, it’s true, I watch races with Michael.

"But sure, I guess what I miss is what we used to do together.”

Schumacher won five consecutive World Drivers’ Championships under Todt’s leadership from 2000 to 2004.

In 2020, Todt revealed that Schumacher is “still fighting”.

“I’m always careful with such statements, but it’s true," Todt said.

“Michael is in the best hands and is well looked after in his house. He does not give up and keeps fighting.

“His family is fighting just as much and of course our friendship cannot be the same as it once was just because there’s no longer the same communication as before.”

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The secrecy has angered Schumacher's former manager Willi Weber, who recently levelled some staggering allegations against the F1 legend's family.

In July, Weber claimed he hasn't been allowed to visit Schumacher since his near-fatal accident.

“I tried hundreds of times to contact (wife) Corinna and she didn’t answer,” the 80-year-old said.

“I called (former Ferrari boss) Jean Todt to ask him if I should go to the hospital and he told me to wait – it’s too early.

“I called the next day and no one answered. I didn’t expect behaviour like that and I’m still angry about it. They kept me out, telling me it’s too early, well now it’s too late. It’s been nine years. Maybe they should just say it the way it is.

“I could understand the situation initially as I always did everything I could for Michael to protect his private life. But since then we have only heard lies from them.

“Years after the accident, I said to myself to just look out for the family as I couldn't change things.

“He was like a son to me. Even today it hurts me to talk about it."

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