Motorsport: Ralf Schumacher loses crash appeal

Williams driver Ralf Schumacher has lost his appeal after being blamed for a crash at the German Grand Prix.

But the sport's ruling body, the FIA, imposed a fine of US$50,000 ($86,600) instead of the original penalty, which would have meant Schumacher dropping 10 positions from his qualifying spot at the start of his next race, the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The FIA also said it would ask German race stewards to investigate the roles of McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Rubens Barrichello of Ferrari in the first-lap collision.