Schumacher is 'not bigger than Formula One'

Michael Schumacher has been assured by the FIA president, Max Mosley, that he will be allowed to pull out of the United States Grand Prix on Sunday week if he wishes to, but the German world champion was reminded that the sport is bigger than any driver and can continue without him.

Mosley's terse statement came in the wake of an Italian Grand Prix where Schumacher was tormented by the atrocities in America. The Ferrari driver did not wish to compete here on Sunday and was palpably concerned for his safety in Indianapolis.

Alessandro Zanardi's horrific accident in Saturday's CART race in Germany deepened Schumacher's sense of foreboding as he prepared to race on the circuit.

The world champion then endeavoured to persuade the rest of the drivers to agree that there would be no-overtaking at the first two chicanes.

He never looked like winning the race and finished an uncharacteristic tame fourth. All of which earned him the wrath of Formula One's commercial driving force, Bernie Ecclestone, who indicated that the German might be penalised points and demoted from his championship winning position if he did not show up at Indianapolis. However, Mosley explained yesterday that Schumacher would be permitted to miss the United States Grand Prix if he felt so strongly about it. And he added that in doing so he would not be bringing Formula One into disrepute as teams are allowed to change their number one driver once in the season without repercussions.

But the head of the sport's governing body also made it clear that he was unimpressed by the conduct of motor racing's most prominent driver. "What Michael has to remember is that drivers come and go, while Formula One stays," he said. "Formula One managed without Ayrton Senna and it can manage without Michael Schumacher if it has to.

"What is being said about the dangers in going to Indianapolis is completely crazy. Mr Bush has told Americans to go back to work and that is what we should do.

"The people over there know what they are doing and they are taking all the security precautions. If they told us it was dangerous I am sure the organisers would cancel the race. The fact is that it's safer to travel to the US now than it was three weeks ago."

Schumacher's attempt to impose a restraining order at the start of Sunday's race brought him a further rebuke from the authorities. "If there was a case for worrying about safety at Monza then the time for that was months ago and not immediately before the race. When people start to panic and get silly they don't act sensibly. We shall be reminding the drivers over the next few days of what they should be doing at Formula One races," Mosley said.

"Everybody was a bit emotional after events in the US and the Zanardi crash and we can sympathise with that, but it is at these very times that we have to remain calm and think sensibly about what is happening.''

Jean Todt, Ferrari's sporting director, revealed that Schumacher had considered withdrawing from Sunday's race.

"Michael's heart wasn't in it at the weekend," Todt said. "I asked him if he felt like competing. He wanted to pull out but then he decided he would race. We will respect his opinion about the US Grand Prix. It is he who drives and he needs to say if he feels like doing it."