World champion Michael Schumacher was shaken but unhurt after crashing out of the Monza group test following a suspected tyre failure on his Ferrari.

Just days after clinching his seventh crown at the Belgian Grand Prix, Schumacher was back in action for the Scuderia, partnering team-mate Rubens Barrichello in preparation for the final European round of the season, but his involvement in the session was brought to a violent conclusion a day ahead of schedule after his F2004 was pitched off the road and into the barriers at nearly 190mph

The German's press aide, Sabine Kehm, confirmed that the accident, which occurred on the start-finish straight, appeared to have been caused by a left rear tyre failure. Schumacher was pitched into a spin which lasted until the braking zone for the first chicane, and took him through the marker boards signalling the approach of the corner between contact with the barriers.

"Something happened to the left rear tyre, although we don't know what just yet," Kehm said, "The car spun and hit the wall with the rear."

Despite clearly being shaken by the incident, Schumacher managed to extricate himself from the cockpit, before lying down on the grass verge to compose himself as the medical teams arrived. After a brief check over, the German was then able to raise himself and climbed into the medical car for the short trip back to the pits. Despite the severity of the impact, he opted not to go to the circuit's medical centre but, after a short while analysing the incident in the garage, headed to the airport and a flight to his home in Switzerland.

Before he left, however, Schumacher attempted to show that he was still in good spirits. Italian reporters for the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper claimed that he stopped to embrace Barrichello, who was signing autographs, and shake a few hands before departing for the airport.