BERLIN — Michael Schumacher said today he is calling off his much-anticipated Formula One comeback because of lingering injuries from a motorcycle crash earlier this year.

The seven-time world champion was to fill in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa and hoped to return at the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain, later this month.

However, Schumacher said on his Web site he informed top Ferrari officials Monday evening that "unfortunately I'm not able to step in for Felipe."

Schumacher, 40, retired at the end of the 2006 season. Since then, he has raced occasionally in a motorcycling series but was injured in a crash in February.

"The consequences of the injuries caused by the bike accident in February, fractures in the area of head and neck, unfortunately have turned out to be still too severe," Schumacher said. "That is why my neck cannot stand the extreme stresses caused by Formula One yet."