Michael Schumacher will not now race at the European Grand Prix after failing to shrug off a neck injury suffered in a motorbike accident in February.  Ferrari has named test driver Luca Badoer as his replacement.

Schumacher, a seven-time F1 world champion, had agreed to help out former team Ferrari and step in for Felipe Massa on a temporary basis after the Brazilian suffered head injuries at the Hungarian Grand Prix last month.

The 40-year-old had intended to return in Valencia on August 23 but testing designed to help Schumacher re-acclimatise himself with the rigours of F1 have shown the injuries to his neck are "too severe".

Schumacher reportedly posted strong times having driven Kimi Raikkonen's 2007 World Championship-winning Ferrari at the Mugello circuit in Italy but the neck flared up again afterwards.

Badoer last raced in Formula One a decade ago. He made 48 starts for Lola, Minardi and Forti Course but failed to register a single point.