I hope Schumacher makes it

Richard Hammond recovered very well from his devastating head injury, but if you read his book it gives a very good picture of what it is like for the victim and his wife's chapters described very clearly what the family goes through.
If he does recover it will still be a long, hard road for all of them.

Having seen the picture of the scene now- the Press is way out of order to say he was skiing off-piste. He was taking the natural fall line, and would not have noticed that between 2 pistes, there was a rough area with rocks. By the time he got into it- it would have been too late. The resort should have clearly put a danger sign and an orange banner across that area to keep people out- and must be bracing themselves with their lawyers for the law suit that will surely ensue- whatever the outcome.

I agree he was not skating off-piste but pictures I have seen did show a clear boundary around the rocky area between the two runs and he did seem to be travelling very fast when he cut the corner between the two.

Well yes- but as a very experienced skiier (60+ years)- I'd say coming over the crest at speed (and yes, experienced skiier do ski fast- I do- without being reckless) he would have chosen the natural line in the middle, and NOT seen that that area was unpisted and rocky- before it was too late. The resort should have clearly closed that area with a danger sign and a wide orange tape, as is the norm in such cases.

As a non skier that's really interesting granjura to the uninitiated it all just seems horribly dangerous, but obviously if you are experienced and understand the risks it the whole picture changes.

Indeed, risk is quite normally assessed on personal knowledge. At my school in the UK, I ran a ski and snowboarding club- taking kids to Snowdome in Tamworth once a week and 1 trip abroad once a year (by bus to cut cost, and organising ski wear hire for same reason). Suddenly, ruled changed with risk assessment etc- and I had to fill in a detailed form every week with so many detail and paying high premium for dangerous activity. I tried to explain that kids taken to Snowdome were taught by a qualified snowboarding instructor- in a group of 4 + me an experienced snowboarder supervising them too- on a slope 30m long- wearing helmets, etc. But no, they would not budge, and treated the activity the same as if we were wild snowboarding off-piste in the Alps, with same premium. I just gave up- it was far too much red tape and added cost- and I could not substitute another student if one was ill- and then spread the cost among the others.

In the meantime kids were off playing rugby and football matches without paying any insurance at all- which to my mind, and that of the doctors I talked to, was far more dangerous. Daft.

As said, there is nothing wrong with controlled speed matched with your level of experience. The resort is as far as I am concerned totally at fault for separating the piste with a rough area in the middle with dangerous rocks. The marking on the photos was done by the newspaper- and there was nothing in situ to mark this. There should have been at least orange tape across- or crossed stricks with a warning- as is the norm in ski resorts with danger zones.

Any news?

When I was 13 I almost got picked for a skiing holiday with the school. I can't imagine that anyone gave much thought to safety at all in those days - I seem to remember a very brief list of equipment we would need.

I heard that the Ferrari fans are organising a vigil outside the hospital so they must have finally forgiven him for going to Mercedes!

I've been organising ski trips for my schools since the 80s- and yes, security was very tight. It has become so complicated with risk assessments, etc, that many teachers have just given up doing so- and the only trips organised by special companies are so expensive and very 'elitists', sadly. I used to organise all sorts of trips, including Youth Hostelling in the UK so kids from financially 'challenged' families could join in, French and German exchanges, etc- but very few of those are still done now due to the risk of being sued. Very sad.

Announced in the Press that they are now looking carefully at the piste security issue and lack of marking of that dangerous area between 2 pistes- directly in the natural ski line coming from over the side. There should have definitely been something blocking the way to that very dangerous area.

Good wishes to him on his 45th birthday.

Hope he sees many more.

I am not in to car racing, but I do hope he manages to make a reasonable recovery.

I heard today that he went to the help of a young woman who had fallen and for that reason left the piste, and also when he crashed or stumbled his ski- fastening failed to open.
It is obviously not the simple explanation that he was racing altough he wouldn't go slowly doing anything would he?
I can't see him recovering from this and being the same charismatic person. That's now over.

There was a post on facebook today saying that he is now stable. Good news so far but I wonder if he will have all the problems James Cracknell has had.