Michael Schumacher in coma after skiing mishap

Seven-time Formula One champion and popular race driver Michael Schumacher slipped into coma and continues under intensive care after suffering a head injury in a fall while skiing off-piste in the French Alps resort of Meribel a few days back. A piste is a marked ski run or path down a mountain for snow skiing, snowboarding, or other mountain sports. Wearing a helmet during the mishap, Schumacher was conscious while being airlifted to a local hospital in Moutiers.

On December 29, 2013, Schumacher was skiing with his son when he fell and hit his head on a rock, sustaining a head injury even though he was wearing a helmet. Schumacher was skiing outside the marked pistes at that time. He was attended by two ski patrollers and airlifted within fifteen minutes to a hospital in Moûtiers, and then on to a hospital in Grenoble specialising in brain.

After winning consecutive championships with Benetton in 1994/5, Schumacher moved to Ferrari in 1996 and won another five consecutive drivers' titles with them from 2000 to 2004. Schumacher retired from Formula One driving in 2006 staying with Ferrari as an advisor. Schumacher later signed a three-year contract to drive for the new Mercedes team starting in 2010. As part of the Mercedes team, he raced at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida during the F1 race.

Picture courtesy Daimler/ File photo: Michael Schumacher testing the new Mercedes C Class