Weber: Ralf's 2005 Drive to be Announced Next Week

Ralf Schumacher's 2005 Formula One drive will be announced at next week's British Grand Prix, according to manager Willi Weber.

"The team will do this," the German, who also manages Schumacher's older brother and six times World Champion Michael, told Reuters at the French Grand Prix on Sunday.

"They are going to say what is going to happen next year, where Ralf is driving."

Asked which team would make the announcement, he replied: "The team that he will drive for. You will have to wait until Silverstone."

Ralf, winner of last year's French Grand Prix in a Williams, is expected to join big budget Toyota next year and there has been considerable speculation that a deal was concluded some time ago.

Toyota, whose French driver Olivier Panis and Brazilian Cristiano da Matta are both out of contract at the end of the year, had no comment.

The German is currently out of action after fracturing his spine in a big crash at the last U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis.

Although doctors have said the 29-year-old could be sidelined for up to three months, Weber said he expected Ralf could be back in time for the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 15.

That would mean the Williams driver would have missed only three races -- France, Britain and Germany -- before the summer break.

"The sooner he recovers, he drives," said Weber. "I hope at the latest in Budapest. It looks like it but I am not a doctor. The doctor must give the green light...but it looks very good."

Spaniard Marc Gene is standing in for Schumacher at Williams and that team has said they are handling the situation on a race-by-race basis.

However technical director Sam Michael said on Saturday that Ralf must not hurry back before he was fully ready.