Michael Schumacher's nephew, David, has been dealt a major blow this week after doctors confirmed he has a broken back following a horrific crash during a race in Germany last weekend.
The 20-year-old racing driver was given the all-clear in the immediate aftermath of his collision with Thomas Preining during the DTM event at Hockenheim on Saturday.
However, as Schumacher began to complain of discomfort in the days that followed, doctors insisted that scans were needed - which led to the grim discovery.
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Speaking to Motorsport magazine, his father Ralf - Michael Schumacher’s brother - explained: "When David came home, he was still complaining about back pain.
"We then decided to go to a hospital in Salzburg to have a MRI done. It turned out that a lumbar vertebra was broken.
"According to the treating physicians, this means a break of around six weeks for David."
Just before the crash, Schumacher and Preining were battling for position when both drivers braked on the run into Turn 8, which sent them hurtling into the barriers at high speed before ricocheting back onto the track.
This forced fellow competitor, Dennis Olsen, to take quick action in his SSR Porsche, but he then lost control of his car, sending him flying into the barriers on the opposite side of the track.
Video footage from the incident showed engine components dispersed across the tarmac while part of the vehicle went up in flames as spectators watched on in horror.
Thankfully, all drivers escaped without a fatality, however, Schumacher's back issues will come as a major blow to the Formula 2 hopeful.
The 20-year-old had high hopes of securing a seat in F2 this season as he aims to race his way to the big leagues alongside his cousin Mick - who is currently driving for the Haas F1 team.
David admitted he was unable to secure enough funding through sponsorship deals to seal a seat for 2022, but he did manage to land a position driving a Mercedes car in DTM.
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