Davidson breaks back in huge Le Mans crash

Pavka007 · #1 06-17-2012, 07:28 AM

Toyota's British driver Anthony Davidson suffered a broken back after a massive accident in the Le Mans 24-Hour endurance race.

Davidson breaks back in huge Le Mans crash - Yahoo! Sport UK

Davidson was taken to hospital after his Toyota tagged a Ferrari sportscar he was lapping in an accident that brought out the safety car with five hours gone.
The Toyota took off and twisted 360 degrees through the air before plunging into the tyre barriers at Mulsanne Corner, the end of the fast Mulsanne straight where cars reach speeds of more than 330kph.
The 33-year-old, an ex-Formula One driver and grand prix analyst for Sky television, climbed out of the number eight car and gesticulated before receiving treatment from the medical team at the Sarthe circuit.
The AF Corse Ferrari hit the barriers and overturned but Italian driver Piergiuseppe Perazzini was also able to extricate himself.
Toyota said Davidson had been walking and talking normally before being taken to hospital. The Briton later confirmed the extent of his injuries from the crash on his Twitter site.
"Well that was a big one! Lying in a French hospital with a broken back wasn't what I had in mind at this stage in the race," he said.

Kuan · #2 06-17-2012, 08:58 AM

He walked off the course.

He may have been a touch late coming into the corner.

t walgamuth · #3 06-17-2012, 09:21 AM

I was clear the ferrari driver was not aware he was there. I didn't see if he had flashed his lights etc before appearing inside the Ferrari or not. The ferrari simply was in the normal groove and turned in at the right time and ooops! there was a toyota inside him.

Kuan · #4 06-17-2012, 09:50 AM

I don't think there's any reason for to try and pass at that corner if you're not fighting for position.

ramonajim · #5 06-17-2012, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pavka007

[B][SIZE=4]The 33-year-old, an ex-Formula One driver and grand prix analyst for Sky television, climbed out of the number eight car and gesticulated before receiving treatment from the medical team at the Sarthe circuit..... [snippage] ..... "Well that was a big one! Lying in a French hospital with a broken back wasn't what I had in mind at this stage in the race," he said.

BTDT (well, sort of).

After my bicycle accident, I went through three separate doctors, two sets of x-rays, and a full month of getting on with life before finally learning that I'd crushed one vertebra, chipped two, and had a fourth that was displaced (straight back) 80% and pressing on my spinal cord.

Got strapped to a gurney after the MRI and wheeled over to the ER for emergency surgery after having driven myself in that morning. Surgeon said that if I'd twisted just right one time in that month of hobbling about I could have nicked or even severed my spinal cord.

Kuan · #6 06-17-2012, 10:06 AM

Holy ***** Jim.

padrino · #7 06-17-2012, 10:30 AM

Well, Toyota took out the Nissan Delta Wing so what goes around comes around

t walgamuth · #8 06-17-2012, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuan

I don't think there's any reason for to try and pass at that corner if you're not fighting for position.

Easy enough to do. In a 24 hour race there is plenty of opportunity to make mistakes. The differential in speeds of the different class cars makes it exponentially more difficult.

Kuan · #9 06-17-2012, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Easy enough to do. In a 24 hour race there is plenty of opportunity to make mistakes. The differential in speeds of the different class cars makes it exponentially more difficult.

Yeah, coming up on a slow moving car like that plays tricks on you. To Davidson the Ferrari probably looked like it was standing still.