UPDATE – Further report on Schumacher set for Monday morning

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UPDATE (6:47 p.m. ET) : British F1 broadcaster Sky Sports is now reporting that an update from Grenoble on Michael Schumacher’s condition is set for Monday morning at 5 a.m. ET (10 a.m. in the United Kingdom).

UPDATE (5:37 p.m. ET): Jennie Gow, a presenter for Formula One coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live, has posted a series of statements from the doctors in Grenoble, Schumacher’s manager, and Schumacher’s press secretary.

UPDATE (5:05 p.m. ET): Reports from multiple outlets, including Agence France-Presse, confirm that management for Michael Schumacher and the University Hospital of Grenoble (France) has said the Formula One legend is in critical condition and that he is also in a coma which required an “immediate neurosurgical operation.”

Per the BBC, the hospital’s statement on the situation was signed by its deputy director, its neurosurgeon, and the professor in charge of its anesthesia and revival unit.

UPDATE (4:02 p.m. ET): While we await official word from Michael Schumacher’s management team on his condition, French radio station RMC is now reporting that, according to a medical source, Schumacher has suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and is now in critical condition at the hospital in Grenoble, France.

Again, we must stress that we are still waiting for an official statement from Schumacher’s group. As soon as it is released, we will pass it along to you.

UPDATE (2:10 p.m. ET): Various reports are now saying that a further update on the condition of Michael Schumacher will be released by his management team shortly.

Initial reports had a press conference taking place at the hospital in Grenoble, France, where Schumacher was taken after he sustained a head injury this morning while skiing in the nearby town of Meribel. However, that will not be the case, apparently.

Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher has been injured in a skiing accident in France. According to reports from Sky and the BBC, he has suffered a minor head injury after hitting his head on a rock.

Schumacher, 44, was wearing a helmet and did not appear to lose consciousness while skiing in the town of Meribel. After the incident, he has been transported to hospital via helicopter.

Christophe Gernignon-Lecomte, director general of Meribel ski resort, did not know the severity of the incident but explained the situation to French media outlets.

“For the moment I don’t know the severity of the injury,” he said to French radio station RMC, via Sky. “The gendarmes are at the scene investigating how the accident happened. He was taken by helicopter to Grenoble Hospital. I don’t know if it happened on piste or off piste.”

Past 10:30 a.m. ET, an update from Schumacher’s PR: “Michael fell on his head..He was taken to hospital and is receiving medical attention.”

Schumacher has long enjoyed skiing as one of his main activities outside of driving. His first retirement from F1 came in 2006; he returned for a three-year stint with Mercedes from 2010 to 2012, with limited success.

SuperMotocross set to introduce Leader Lights beginning with the World Championship finals

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In a continuing effort to help fans keep track of the on track action, SuperMotocross is in the process of developing and implementing leader lights for the unified series.

Currently Supercross (SMX) utilizes stanchions in the infield that are triggered manually by a race official. At least two stanchions are used in each race as a way to draw the eye to the leader, which is especially useful in the tight confines of the stadium series when lapping often begins before the halfway mark in the 22-bike field. This system has been in place for the past two decades.

Later this year, a fully automated system will move to the bike itself to replace the old system. At that point, fans will be able to identify the leader regardless of where he is on track.

The leader lights were tested in the second Anaheim round this year. An example can be seen at the 1:45 mark in the video above on the No. 69 bike.

“What we don’t want to do is move too fast, where it’s confusing to people,” said Mike Muye, senior director of operations for Supercross and SMX in a press release. “We’ve really just focused on the leader at this point with the thought that maybe down the road we’ll introduce others.”

Scheduled to debut with the first SuperMotocross World Championship race at zMax Dragway, located just outside the Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 3D carbon fiber-printed LED light will be affixed to each motorcycle. Ten timing loops positioned around the track will trigger the lights of the leader, which will turn green.

SMX’s partner LiveTime Scoring helped develop and implement the system that has been tested in some form or fashion since 2019.

When the leader lights are successfully deployed, SuperMotocross will explore expanding the system to identify the second- and third-place riders. Depending on need and fan acceptance, more positions could be added.

SuperMotocross is exploring future enhancements, including allowing for live fan interaction with the lights and ways to use the lighting system during the race’s opening ceremony.