FEBRUARY 26, 2001

Schumacher's helmet court case adjourned

WORLD CHAMPION Michael Schumacher must wait until Wednesday to discover if he will be forced to pay around $1.5 million costs to helmet distributors Sports Europe.

Schumacher has been taken to a Belgian court after Sports Europe, a Belgian-based distributor of Bell Helmets, accused the German driver of wearing a rival Schuberth Helme helmet this year.

The case was heard at a Brussels civil court on Monday but judge Christine Dalcq adjourned it until Wednesday.

Ferrari driver Schumacher did not attend the court as he is preparing for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix this weekend.

Sports Europe claim they have a contract for Schumacher to wear their helmets at every sporting event in 2001. They launched the court action after seeing pictures of Schumacher testing in Spain earlier this year, wearing a Schuberth Helme helmet.

Schumacher has indicated he is keen to keep using Schuberth Helme helmets, like his brother and BMW-Williams driver Ralf.