Battered Schuey Jr flies home

The BMW WilliamsF1 Team has confirmed in a statement that Schumacher has a bruised back and strained back muscles from the impact after his car spun backwards into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway SAFER barrier unchecked. The accident caused the race to run behind the Safety Car for ten laps.

Schumacher has been withdrawn from this week's major test at Jerez in Spain and speculation is mounting as to whether the German driver will be fit to compete in the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours which commences in less than a fortnight.

Jerez provides the team with three days to evaluate a potential replacement should it need one. The team's long-time test driver Marc Gene finished fifth in the 2003 Italian Grand Prix when he stood in for Schumacher who suffered concussion following a testing crash at Monza.

But Williams is not thought to be contractually bound to run the Spaniard and could instead opt for its other regular test driver Antonio Pizzonia, who has proved rapid in testing this year for the team. It is also possible that Williams could use Ralf's absence as an opportunity to evaluate one of the drivers on its list for a vacant seat in 2005.

This is a more unlikely alternative, but Jacques Villeneuve is the only driver not already tied to Williams or not under contract to another team. The French Canadian has been linked to the team for next year and is known to be keen to prove his motivation about a return to F1.