Ralf Feeling Fine after Crash

Toyota's Schumacher brought out the red flags in the afternoon session after spinning and hitting the wall heavily at almost the same spot where he crashed his Williams last year during the race.

On Friday he was able to get out of the car, apparently unscathed, although he was still taken to the medical centre for checks before being released. Practice resumed 15 minutes later.

"Thankfully I am feeling okay, but that was quite a big accident," said Schumacher. "Lightning is supposed not to strike twice in the same place but on this occasion I guess that does not apply to me.

"I was approaching the last corner when I felt something go wrong on the left-hand side. We will now have to investigate exactly what happened and why. The morning session had been fine, although the track was very slippery.

"I've never had much luck here as a driver, but I'm still hopeful that record will improve."

Last year he remained slumped in the cockpit, as cars threaded their way through the wreckage, for what seemed an age before being taken to hospital. Subsequent tests showed he had fractured his spine and he missed the next six races.

Ralf had spoken about that accident when he returned to Indianapolis, saying the circuit held no fear for him.

"If I were afraid of being in a Formula One car I'd stay at home," he said.

Something appeared to give on Friday as he powered into the banked final corner, the fastest section of the track that cars take at more than 300kph.

The Toyota spun, hit the wall with the rear and then skidded across the track with the left side wrecked.