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Anthony Davidson crash results in broken back at Le Mans

Racing driver Anthony Davidson is lucky to be alive after suffering an horrific crash during Le mans 2012. The ex-Formula 1 driver was involved in a back-breaking collision whilst overtaking a slower car.

Ant Davidson does comes a cropper during Le Mans.
Ant Davidson does comes a cropper during Le Mans.

The accident happened five hours into the race, as Davidson tried to overtake down the inside of Piergiuseppe Perazzini’s Ferrari. Perazzini failed to spot Davidson and continued to take the corner as if the Brit wasn’t there, making contact with the left rear of the Toyota Hybrid car.

This sent Davidson’s vehicle into a spin, before it went spectacularly airborne, landed on its wheels and crunched sickeningly into the tyre wall. Davidson, who managed to free himself from the wreckage, looked relatively unhurt and even gesticulated for assistance from the Marshals.

Trackside medics initially assumed he was suffering merely from shock and back pain. However, the full extent of his injuries became clear later in hospital. There, it was discovered he had broken the T11 and T12 vertebrae in his spine.

Davidson was in relatively high spirits following the accident. “Well that was a big one!” he Tweeted. “Lying in a French hospital with a broken back wasn’t what I had in mind at this stage in the race.”

He later posted a picture of himself in his hospital bed, adding “Feeling a bit sore today, but generally just happy to be alive!”

Davidson is due to be discharged from hospital in a couple of days’ time. You can watch his spectacular accident by hitting play in the video below.

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