Injury a Real Blow, Says Ralf

German Ralf Schumacher was downbeat after medical tests revealed he had suffered two spinal fractures in a crash during the US Grand Prix this month.

His spokesman said on Wednesday that Schumacher may be out for up to three months.

Schumacher, eighth in the Formula One championship behind his brother Michael, might then effectively be out for the season which ends in Sao Paulo on October 24.

The spokesman said doctors at the clinic in the western German spa town of Bad Nauheim where Schumacher is being treated believed he was likely to need eight to 12 weeks to recover.

The Williams driver, who turned 29 on Wednesday, spun and crashed heavily into a concrete wall during the US Grand Prix on June 20, suffering concussion and back pains. He said afterwards that he could remember nothing of the accident.

"To be honest, I imagined my birthday would be rather different. Yesterday's diagnosis was a real blow," Ralf said on his website. "But so be it. What's happened has happened. The injury is worse than feared. I have to get through it."

For this weekend's French Grand Prix, Williams are likely to turn to Spaniard Marc Gene, the team's official reserve driver, who finished fifth when he replaced Ralf for last September's Italian Grand Prix.

Schumacher, who won in France last year, missed the race at Monza after suffering concussion in a high speed crash in testing. Gene, who also raced in 1999 and 2000 for Minardi, was testing at Jerez in southern Spain last Thursday.