zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Racing
/
Sophia Floersch Has Successful Seven-Hour Spinal Surgery After Nightmarish Crash Through Track Fence
Sophia Floersch Has Successful Seven-Hour Spinal Surgery After Nightmarish Crash Through Track Fence-May 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:12

Formula 3 driver went flying through a track fence and into a photographer stand at the on Sunday, at a street circuit known for being fast, tight and downright scary. She went into spinal surgery Monday, coming out seven hours later in stable condition.

The injury came from a crash on , which, like almost all street courses, has little runoff area for fast cars careening off of the race circuit. There isn’t much footage of the wreck before Floersch’s car launched into the air, but reported on Sunday that the sequence began when Floersch and fellow driver Sho Tsuboi crashed into each other before a hard right-hand turn. ( further footage of Floersch’s car before it went airborne.)

Floersch, front wheels dangling from her car, went flying through the air and into the photographer stand at an alarming speed, with the crash injuring herself, Tsuboi, two photographers and a race marshal, according to Autosport.

Many, including , noted that the tone of the broadcast during the red flag for cleanup was at a disconnect from the severity of the crash. Spectators where it happened caught footage of the wreck at full speed, though, and we’ll warn you that people were seriously injured in this:

Floersch went to the hospital with a spinal fracture, with a post on her Twitter account before the surgery saying she was “fine” otherwise—an overstatement showing just how tough people who go out and drive race on tracks like these have to be. reported Monday that the spinal surgery took seven hours, with doctors saying her vital signs were stable and limbs were active in a press conference afterward.

She’ll stay in the hospital for up to two weeks, Motorsport.com reports. A post on Floersch’s Twitter account during the surgery, translated from German, said the operation went so slowly because of precaution around the spinal area.

“The medical team is deliberately working slowly to avoid risks,” the post said, translated. “The previous surgical course is good and without complications. The surgery that began this morning continues.”

Two of the four other hospitalized people have been released, Motorsport.com reports: the hospital discharged Tsuboi on Sunday night, and photographer Hiroyuki Minami was also released. Photographer Chan Weng Wang is expected to stay in the hospital for 10 more days with a lacerated liver, Motorsport.com reports, and race marshal Chan Cha, who had cuts and a broken jaw, should be out in three to four days.

reports that Floersch is flying home, eight days after the crash.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Racing
Hamilton, Leclerc DQ'd From U.S. Grand Prix, American Driver Scores First F1 Points In 30 Years
Hamilton, Leclerc DQ'd From U.S. Grand Prix, American Driver Scores First F1 Points In 30 Years
It’s Monday, October 23, 2023 and this is Racing Recap, your summary of last weekend’s motorsports action. became the first American in 30 years to score points in Formula 1 after two front-runners were disqualified from the United States Grand Prix. ran out of time to catch Christopher Bell...
May 25, 2026
Rumor: Audi Cancelled Its F1 Program Before It Even Started [Update: Audi Denies]
Rumor: Audi Cancelled Its F1 Program Before It Even Started [Update: Audi Denies]
When asked for comment on the subject of Audi discontinuing its F1 involvement, an Audi spokesperson replied “The media coverage is a rumor and . The Audi F1 team continues to work to build out its F1 program and its entry in 2026.” Emphasis provided by the spokesperson. It...
May 25, 2026
As F1 Drivers Complain About Qatar Heat, Lewis Hamilton Says
As F1 Drivers Complain About Qatar Heat, Lewis Hamilton Says "Let's Not Get Too Soft"
Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is not exactly on the same page with the rest of the field when it comes to the extreme conditions they faced during , saying that as extreme athletes, drivers can expect to face extreme conditions. As an outsider, it’s impossible to agree...
May 25, 2026
Sustainable Racing Is 'The Way Forward’ For Young Drivers
Sustainable Racing Is 'The Way Forward’ For Young Drivers
Motorsport has . Excessive , excessive fuel burned over the course of a race weekend and even an excessive amount of . Now, there’s a wave of young drivers rising through the ranks that are less interested in all that and are instead on the lookout for series that...
May 25, 2026
This Drift Mustang Wallride Is The Hardest Hit You'll See Today
This Drift Mustang Wallride Is The Hardest Hit You'll See Today
Being among the best in Formula Drift these days means dancing on the knife edge, using huge power to overwhelm lots of grip, and making big slides and tons of smoke in order to make your run look good. It also requires incredible precision, getting your bumper millimeters from a...
May 25, 2026
The Simple Plank That Got Hamilton And Leclerc Disqualified Is One Of F1s Best Safety Devices
The Simple Plank That Got Hamilton And Leclerc Disqualified Is One Of F1s Best Safety Devices
and Charles Leclerc were Sunday after their cars failed post-race inspection. What was the infraction? The floor-mounted planks on both their cars were worn too thin. It seems ridiculous to throw out a driver over a board three-eighths of an inch thick, but the simple device is one of...
May 25, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved