Although he won't be racing, Ralf Schumacher will attend this weekend's German Grand Prix.

The German, still recovering from his Indianapolis crash, will be on hand at Hockenheim over the weekend, not merely to give the team some moral support, but also in a practical capacity, giving Antonio Pizzonia the benefit of his experience.

"He is still a part of the team," said BMW Motorsport boss Mario Theissen. "We are happy that he'll be lending us his moral support at the weekend.

"We need Ralf," he continued. "He has contributed more in the last few years to the development of the car than is often appreciated by outsiders. At the last race he was really missed, especially when it came to the complicated and very fine tuning of the car."

Of course, Ralf has since confirmed a three-year deal with Toyota, but we won't dwell on that.

It's hoped that the German will be back in the FW26 for Hungary, having missed three races, but as yet there is no official confirmation.

"As soon as he is allowed to do by the doctors, Ralf will be back in the car," said Theissen.