Motor Sport: A car dealer told today how he did a double take after he was involved in a collision, as it emerged the driver was ex-Formula 1 ace Michael Schumacher.
Martin Kingham, 39, said he was pulling round a 12ft-long security barrier to close his car dealership when a Fiat van overtook another vehicle and struck the end of it.
Kingham said the impact caused the heavy barrier to strike his leg and "sent me spinning" on to the bonnet of a car but he was otherwise unhurt. Only minor damage was caused to Schumacher's van, he said.
The incident happened outside in Lydd, Kent, just before 4pm on Sunday as Kingham was shutting the dealership to take his two-year-old son out for the afternoon.
Kingham said police were called to take down both their personal details, and it was then that he vaguely recognised the German ex-Formula 1 driver.
Kingham said today: "The copper said to me when I was in the office that this chap is claiming to be Michael Schumacher, and I said, 'You know what, he doesn't half look like him'.
"Then the penny suddenly dropped. When I phoned my business partner later and told him that you'll never guess who I've been run over by, he wouldn't believe me.
"Obviously being a car salesman we do like a wind up but the difference with this story is that it is actually true. Michael's entourage turned up and he left."
In a statement, Kent Police said: "Officers were called to a minor collision in Lydd after Kent Police received a call at about 3.45pm on Sunday.
"The officers assessed the situation, spoke to two men at the scene, helped them to exchange details and no further police involvement is required."
Seven-time Formula One world champion Schumacher, who won five of his titles with Ferrari, is now fronting the Motor Sport Safety Development Fund. He is also a test driver for Ferrari.
His agent Sabine Kehme said: "There was a collision but nobody was injured. Michael co-operated with police. There is nothing else we wish to say."