Schumacher's Condition Remains Critical

Doctors in Grenoble treating Michael Schumacher have reported that the former F1 World Champion remains in a critical condition after his skiing accident.

Speaking in a press briefing on Monday morning, the team of three surgeons said they are working "hour-by-hour" to save the life of the seven-times world champion.

The 44-year-old was airlifted to the hospital after the accident, which occurred in the Alpine resort of Meribel on Sunday morning. Schumacher fell heavily after he and a group of skiers - which included his 14-year-old son - decided to tackle an unmarked run.

Although Schumacher was wearing a helmet and conscious in the immediate aftermath of the accident, his condition subsequently deteriorated. Arriving at the hospital in a coma, he soon underwent surgery with officials confirming he had suffered a "severe brain trauma".

He is currently being kept in an artificial coma while the medical team try to reduce inter-cranial pressure.

However, unconfirmed reports that Schumacher had undergone a second operation overnight proved wide of the mark. It was confirmed he had been operated on only the once and that a second operation was seen as unnecessary at this stage.

Schumacher's condition was described as "particularly serious" with the doctors adding that it was "far too early to say anything as far as prognosis is concerned".

Among the doctors in attendance is Gerard Saillant, a leading brain surgeon from Paris and friend of the German. It was Saillant who operated on Schumacher after he suffered a broken leg in the 1999 British Grand Prix.

FIA President Jean Todt and former Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, who both worked alongside Schumacher during his record-breaking run of success at Ferrari a decade ago, have also visited the hospital.