“All I can do now is to keep my fingers crossed for the whole team for the coming races.”

Ferrari announced that team test driver Luca Badoer will race in Massa’s place at Valencia. Badoer, an Italian, was first floated by Italian media as a possible replacement driver after a crash took Massa off the race circuit.

“I really tried everything to make that temporary comeback possible. However, much to my regret it didn’t work out,” he added.

“The consequences of the injuries caused by the bike accident in February, fractures in the area of head and neck, unfortunately have turned out to be still too severe,” Schumacher said. “That is why my neck cannot stand the extreme stresses caused by Formula One yet.

The seven-time world champion was to fill in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa and hoped to return at this month’s European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain.

“Unfortunately we did not manage to get a grip on the pain in the neck” which arose after he tested an old Ferrari at the Mugello circuit in Italy, Schumacher said.

The German won 91 races in 250 starts in an F1 career spanning 15 years beginning in 1991.

Schumacher said on his Web site he informed top Ferrari officials on Monday evening that “unfortunately I’m not able to step in for Felipe.”

“I am disappointed to the core. I am awfully sorry for the guys of Ferrari and for all the fans which crossed fingers for me,” Schumacher said.

Injuries halt Schumacher comeback

Injuries halt Schumacher comeback

Posted: under Uncategorized.

Schumacher, 40, retired at the end of the 2006 season. Since then, he has raced occasionally in a motorcycling series but was injured in a crash in February.