Formula One legend Michael Schumacher was airlifted to hospital today after hitting his head on a rock while skiing in the French Alps.
The retired seven-time world champion, 44, was in agony after a fall having left the marked slopes at the exclusive resort of Meribel.
Olivier Desaulty, a spokesman for Meribel Alpina, the ski lift company, said: “Some skiers, who were not skiing with him, saw the accident and called us.
“We immediately sent two ski patrols on skis. They had been waiting to do a check on something and were close by.
“They checked him and called a helicopter. Apparently he was briefly – a minute or so – unconscious. But he came around quickly and was then talking.
“He said he had hit his head on a rock. He was wearing a helmet fortunately. The helicopter arrived very quickly and he was taken to hospital.”
Schumacher was skiing in an unmarked area between two well-used but very difficult ski runs.
After being evacuated to a hospital in nearby Moutiers, Schumacher was transferred to a bigger trauma unit in Grenoble, 80 miles away.
Leading French brain surgeon Gerard Salliant, a personal friend of the driver, flew to Grenoble from Paris and arrived at the hospital with a police escort.
Resort director Christophe Gernigon-Lecomte confirmed that he was wearing a helmet at the time.
He added: “He was conscious but very agitated while being taken to hospital.”
The German star lives in Switzerland with his wife Corinna, daughter Gina-Marie and son Mick.
It is believed he was with 14-year-old Mick at the time of the fall.
Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, is the most successful Formula One driver of all time with a record 91 victories among his achievements. He won his titles with Benetton and Ferrari.
He suffered fractures in his head and neck when he fell off his motorcycle in Spain four years ago.
He had suffered pains in his neck ever since and is understood that his ski accident on Sunday has impacted on his old injuries.
The passionate skier has a run named after him in the Italian ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio.
Schumacher finally retired from motor racing last year after a three-year comeback with Mercedes.
He had originally retired from the sport while with Ferrari at the end of 2006.
A spokesman for the mountain rescue police said: “It was a relatively serious trauma to the head. It was quite serious, particularly because it is a head injury.
“It is likely that he will stay in hospital overnight where he will be kept under surveillance.”
Did helmet save Schumi?
Schumacher was almost certainly saved by the skiing helmet he was wearing.
Experts constantly advise on the reasons anyone taking part in extreme sports should protect themselves with the appropriate headgear.
The British Medical Journal recently cited research from the University of Innsbruck in Austria which showed ski helmets reduce head injuries by 35% in adults and 59% in children under 13.
In the United States, where latest data shows that helmet use has risen to nearly 50%, most resorts have made helmets compulsory.
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