Going, Going, Gone

Of all the things disappearing - Saturn's rings, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Brooks & Dunn - none are as interesting or suck as much as this: Michael Schumacher announced he has called off his much-anticipated Formula One comeback because of lingering injuries from a motorcycling crash earlier this year.

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. 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.

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

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo thanked Schumacher for his loyalty to the team in attempting an F1 comeback. "No doubt his return would have been good for Formula One and I am sure it would have seen him fighting for wins again." Ferrari announced that team test driver Luca Badoer will race in Massa's place at Valencia. Badoer, a 38-year-old Italian, was first floated by Italian media after a crash took Massa off the race circuit. Montezemolo said Ferrari decided to give Badoer "the chance to race for the Scuderia after he has put in so many years of hard work as a test driver."