Schumacher operated; out for six weeks after 178-km crash

As well as suffering the physical pain, the German star has almost certainly seen his hopes of a third world title go up in smoke.

Schumacher’s press officer Heiner Buchinger said the star would certainly remain in hospital at least overnight.

It remained unclear just what had caused Schumacher’s spectacular exit.

Television images showed him furiously turning the wheel but without the wheels responding.

But Ferrari said, rather than a steering problem being to blame, it appeared the back brakes were the problem as they had “not functioned normally,” according to Buchinger.

Schumacher crashed out at a speed estimated at 178 kph (127 mph), almost taking team-mate Eddie Irvine with him during the aborted first lap.

Schumacher had to be lifted out by race stewards still in his seat before being attended to at the scene on stowe corner by Formula One doctor Sidney Watkins.

He was subsequently airlifted to hospital accompanied by Ferrari boss Jean Todt.

It was Schumacher’s second accident this season, two races ago he crashed out in Canada.

Schumacher, who started from second on the grid, was trailing 1998 world champion Mika Hakkinen by eight points in the overall standings but is now set to miss the Austrian, German and Hungarian Grands Prix.

The Minardi team meanwhile offered to loan Luca Badoer to Ferrari as his replacement.

“If Ferrari ask us, we will not have any difficulty in loaning Badoer out to Ferrari,” said Cesare Fiorio, Minardi’s sporting director on Italian television.