Life can be so ironic.

Michael Schumacher spent years taking part in one of the most dangerous sport disciplines, Formula 1 racing. The seven-time world champion raced at 300km per hour around tough bends and linear straights, risking his life several times in hair-raising over-takings and breathtaking duels.

He participated in 308 Grands Prix, winning 91 of them, and is widely regarded as having been successful not only because of his innate talent, but also because of the many risks he took in his attempts to win races and championships.

He was involved in a number of crashes, but his worst accident was at the British Grand Prix in 1999 when he suffered a broken leg which kept him away from racing for less than 100 days.

However it had to be another sport, much less dangerous than Formula 1 racing, that has put Schumacher’s life in great danger.

Schumi, as he is affectionately known among his followers, is today fighting for his life after hitting his head after a fall while skiing with his son. Skiing can be dangerous too, and there have been several accidents in which professional athletes and amateurs were injured in falls. But, after leading such a dangerous professional life in motor-racing, who could have imagined that Schumacher would have ended up in intensive care following a skiing fall?

The sporting world – and not only – is now holding its collective breath and awaiting developments from Grenoble, where Schumacher is being treated for his injuries. The doctors are not pronouncing themselves in what could happen; brain injuries are always the hardest to treat, and it would not be prudent if the doctors rush to conclusions.

Schumacher underwent a second surgery after a brain scan showed small, "surprising" signs of improvement, but grim doctors said they could offer no insight into the prognosis for the Formula One champion.

Schumacher's condition stabilised somewhat after the second surgery, but he remains in a medically induced coma — and doctors gave no prediction on how long that would last.

Schumacher and his 14-year-old son were skiing in the French Alpine resort of Meribel, where the family has a chalet, when he fell and hit the right side of his head on a rock. He was taken first to a local hospital, then to Grenoble University Hospital, which is recognised as having one of France's best neurology teams.

"We cannot say he is out of danger," said Dr Jean-Francois Payen, head of the hospital's intensive care unit. Payen said any neurological evaluation was "out of the question" for now.

Schumacher, who will turn 45 tomorrow, is now facing the toughest race of his career.

Those who recover from severe brain trauma are in the minority, according to one member of the team treating Schumacher at Grenoble University Hospital.

Dr Payen told BFM-TV that medical literature puts that recovery rate at 40-to-45 percent of patients.

"But, once again, these are statistics. And me, I don't work with statistics. I work with patients. So we're going to work" on Schumacher, he was quoted as saying.

Good luck, Schumi.