FLORSCH SURVIVES HORROR CRASH
Sophia Florsch has undergone a successful seven-hour surgery on the spinal fracture she suffered in her horrific Formula 3 crash in the Macau Grand Prix.
The operation was conducted on Monday, with doctors saying in a press conference afterwards that her vital signs are stable and limbs are active as MN went to press. She will remain in hospital for up to two weeks but there isn’t thought to be any fears of paralysis.
The 17-year-old German suffered the injury after she hit the back of 15th-placed Jehan Daruvala on the flat-out run to Lisboa early in Sunday’s race.
Unable to slow her damaged Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara-Mercedes, which registered 171.6mph through the speedtrap, she was launched over the inside kerb at Lisboa into the TOM’S Dallara-toyota of Sho Tsuboi.
The impact fired her over the barrier and through the catch fencing and into an area occupied by marshals and photographers.
“We have to thank the angels she had with her today, and for the fantastic strength of the Dallara car,” said Florsch’s team boss Frits van Amersfoort after the accident.
Tsuboi was discharged from hospital on Sunday night, while photographer Hiroyuki Minami was also released after suffering concussion.
Chinese photographer Chan Weng Wang, who has a lacerated liver, is expected to remain in hospital for another 10 days.
Race marshal Chan Cha suffered cuts and a broken jaw but should be released in three to four days.
Ferrari junior Guan Yu Zhou, who was following Florsch at the time of the accident, explained that it was due to yellow caution lights flashing on the straight.
The incident happened just after a restart following an early safety car.
“Coming after Mandarin [the preceding right-hand kink], I saw the yellow, but I think it was just a mistake by the organisers’ station,” said the Prema Powerteam driver.
“Sophia was really close to Jehan, so when Jehan braked early she had no time to react.
“She hit Jehan’s right-rear, and that spun her around.”