Ex-F1 driver Davidson in huge Le Mans crash
17 June, 2012
17.Jun (Reuters / Apex) Toyota’s British driver Anthony Davidson suffered a ‘broken back’ after a massive accident in the Le Mans 24-Hour endurance race while champions Audi led until the finish on Sunday in 1-2-3 formation.
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 just 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 330km/h.
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. Conflicting reports have emerged about Davidson’s condition, with initial reports during the race indicating that Davidson was suffering from “severe bruising and shock”.
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Get Well Soon.
What a STUPID Ferrari driver? Don’t make a day dream on track anymore !! MURDERER
Get Well Soon.
What a STUPID Ferrari driver, don’t make a day dream on track anymore !!
Editor, I am not criticizing your reporting, as far as it went. I’m simply saying that what Davidson Tweeted is not a medical diagnosis or complete description of his injuries. He damaged two thoracic vertebrae (chest region, T11 and T12). In what way they were damaged or how severely they were damaged has not been reported, but the statement that they will be fully healed in three months without surgery implied that they were basically cracked. Davidson may be in some discomfort and shouldn’t drive a racing car for a few months, but he’s not badly hurt and was very fortunate. That’s why he’s smiling and sending out notes via Twitter.
GILLES Had The Ultimate Bad Luck In A Similar Accident.
When The Cruising Speeds Are Nowhere Comparable, Closing The Door When The Following Driver Is Already Committed To The Overtaking Is Absolutely Criminal.
Idiot jochen mass Got Away With It And, After 30 Years, The Regulations Still Do Not Mandate That The Overtaken Driver Must Not Weave At All, And Must Leave To The Overtaking Driver The Decision To Select The Overtaking Path.
Salut, GILLES !
I wish him well to a quick recovery.
Toyota had Audi to there throats they had a faster top speed and were catching up to Audi.
Shame the Delta Wing got hit my the other Toyota. I hope Toyota comes back quick again next year to defeat Audi.
Folks
Anthony (as quoted above) announced he suffered a “broken back” when he wrote it himself on his Twitter: “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…”
The phrase “broken back” conjures up visions of a broken body lying across a large rock. I think what Davidson has are fractured vertebrae which are usually vertebrae that are cracked by g-forces pushing the driver downward into the seat. These are called compression fractures. It’s not a good thing to have happen to you, but the spinal cord is not damaged or displaced, and things generally just heal up over time. How much permanent damage or pain that remains depends on the exact injury.
autosport.com :
“The Toyota driver suffered breaks to his T11 and T12 vertebrae after the #81 AF Corse collided with the hybrid prototype”
gws AD
Lol, Ferraris….
Guys, what does it mean to break your back? Certainly, it doesn’t mean fracturing your spine, so what is it?
Is it any injury to the back, because would be “back injuries”, wouldn’t it?
@Nowhereman Piergiuseppe Perazzini was clearly the one who caused the crash and I agree with your whole statement.
Anthony Get Well Soon we want you back at sky race control ASAP
So let me get this straight: At LeMans they have GT cars running alongside LMP cars? That’s like F1 cars next to carts. It’s crazy!
And they’re complaining about slower HRTs in F1…
I’d say a good bit of luck was with AD on this one.
Hope he gets back in top form soon!
Watched the whole thing on TV.
That Ferrari driver should be hung by his you know whats.
The Toyota was eating the Ferrari up upon entrance to that turn.
The Ferrari driver had to see him in his mirrors for sometime.
He closed the door on the Toyota very selfisly and dangerously causing the accident.
The Ferrari driver should be banned for a specific length of time for his actions. IMO…..