Race driver who broke his back in crash at Yas Marina Circuit is on track for recovery
James Winslow pays tribute to track safety and quality of health care that ‘saved my life’
A racing driver who suffered life-threatening injuries in a crash at Yas Marina Circuit is slowly recovering from the ordeal.
James Winslow, 34, smashed into a barrier after what appeared to be a brake failure during the Gulf 12 Hours race on December 16. The car had been travelling at up to 240kph.
The driver fractured his spine in two places, suffered a broken sternum, a fractured right wrist and internal bruising. He was also suffering from concussion and post-trauma vertigo after the crash.
The safety car was brought out, delaying the race while barrier repairs were made.
Winslow spent about two weeks in an Abu Dhabi hospital before flying back to Australia, where he is recovering.
“I remember everything very clearly,” he said. “During the crash I felt my lower back snap and my crash helmet hit my chest very hard, crushing my sternum, chest and ribs.”
Despite the injuries, Winslow managed to climb out through the passenger door but then passed out.
“It felt like a little peaceful dream,” he said. “In the ambulance, once I woke up I needed to be convinced that it did actually happen and it wasn’t a dream – a very surreal experience.”
He paid tribute to the safety standards at Yas Marina, which he said saved his life, along with the expert medical treatment he received in the UAE.
“The track was amazing,” Winslow said. “The safer, F1-style barriers at that corner saved my life totally and there’s no doubt about it, plus the head and neck support device I was wearing stopped my neck breaking and the medical crew helped save my live. I can’t thank them enough.”
Winslow checked himself out of hospital on Christmas Eve and flew business class back to Australia because the doctors would not allow him to fly economy, he said.
“It was the most uncomfortable 15 hours of my life.”
Winslow did not have personal insurance that covered this type of accident and now faces a substantial medical bill. Every deal between the team and driver is different, but many drivers race under similar circumstances.
A fund-raising campaign has been started to help pay his bills and he said he will ensure he has the correct insurance cover in future races.
Winslow was racing in a Ligier JSP3 car with the Frenchbased Graff team and was defending the title he won last year.
The race promoter, Driving Force Events, said that when it learnt how serious the accident was, a representative was sent to help Mr Winslow.
The Graff team said it took the accident very seriously as the safety of all drivers was at stake. It said the team was working to find a solution and it was in touch with Winslow.
“We attach the greatest importance to understanding the exact cause of the accident,” a spokesman said.
Winslow, who was born in the UK, was involved in another incident in 2006 when he helped a fellow driver to escape from a car during an Asian Formula 3 race. He ultimately won that year and was profiled in a BBC series for his actions.
He is still wearing a body brace but says the prognosis is for a full recovery in three to six months.
“My goal now is to fight hard,” Winslow said. “I’ll be giving it 110 per cent to be back for the French classic – the Le Mans 24 hours – in June. It’s the world’s biggest race and I want to be fitter than ever.”