Sophia Floersch Survives Horror Macau Accident

[Paul Jeffrey]

German Formula Three driver Sophia Floersch has reported via Twitter that she is doing well following her horrific accident at the FIA F3 World Cup earlier today.

Floersch, 17, suffered a terrifying accident at the high speed Lisboa section of the Macau Guia Grand Prix circuit earlier this morning, the German Van Amersfoort Racing driver appearing to make contact with the rear of a rival car before losing control and continuing backwards down the circuit, connecting with trackside kerb and getting airborne before coming to a stop cockpit first into a temporary structure.

With the sheer speed and violence of the accident many feared the worse for the talented teenager, however following a period of often confusing statements from the FIA, it appears that Floersch has suffered from a spinal fracture, and will be admitted into surgery tomorrow for further medial attention.

Taking to her Twitter account @sophiaFloersch, the Formula Three driver confirmed she is doing well following the accident, stating:

Just wanted to let everybody know that I am fine but will be going into Surgery tomorow morning. Thanks to the @fia and @hwaag_official @MercedesAMGF1 who are taking great care of me.
Thanks to everybody for the Supporting messages.
Update soon.
​

With Floersch now confirmed to be in a stable condition, the FIA have confirmed other minor injuries have been incurred by trackside marshals and photographers in the accident, with Macau Grand Prix organisers informing reporters: “Five individuals were involved in the accident at Lisboa Bend. All were conscious during transit to the hospital and are now receiving medical treatment. Two drivers; two photographers and one marshal.”

Of the others injured, respected motorsport journalist Joe Saward reports: “The others involved include a marshal Chan Cha In, who suffered facial lacerations, a broken jaw plus an abrasion to his upper abdomen wall. A photographer Chan Weng Wang suffered a laceration to his liver and Japan’s Minami Hiroyuki suffered a concussion.”

The FIA F3 World Cup was eventually won by Red Bull Junior Dan Ticktum, the Briton winning the prestigious race for the second year in a row.

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[Tomaz Selcan]

How was this even possible?

 

[MapoUK]

Horrific accident, but becoming airborne may have actually made it less so, as I wouldn't have liked to hit the barrier at that speed backwards!

Hope Sophia has a speedy recovery and is back racing soon.

 

[Will Mazeo]

How was this even possible?

dumb curb placed there for no reason helped her to start the flight, the other car then completed it

The limit of the corner should be the wall, this is just ridiculous
The area behind that part should be clean anyway, it should be a run off area, no reason to place people behind a wall at a 90º corner at the end of a long straight

 

[Baron3105]

I wish her to recover quickly, and also to get back to racing

 

[Koen Verlinde]

When are we going to admit that Macau just ain't a circuit that should be raced? Every year massive pile ups and horror crashes happen. Do we really need a fatal one to understand not to go there anymore?

 

[Theodore 2019]

dumb curb placed there for no reason helped her to start the flight, the other car then completed it

The limit of the corner should be the wall, this is just ridiculous
The area behind that part should be clean anyway, it should be a run off area, no reason to place people behind a wall at a 90º corner at the end of a long straight

Not only the curb, the entire "track" is a load of crap, don't know why people like that or even bother to race there

 

[Gringo]

I was amazed to watch the massive speed her car carried into the corner then to be launched into the track side building in an incredible deceleration. My thought was how could a human body survive that.

In my 30 years of motor sport its got to be one of the most violent crashes of all time. Wickens at Pocono this year, and several crashes at Indy (Conway, Dixon, Bourdais) come to mind but these were at much higher speeds.

Best wishes to Sophia for a full recovery and a quick return to racing.

 

[Bjay_23]

I start to think that Macau is too dangerous. Last year that massive Gt3 pileup and a fatal accident in a motorcycle race, now this which definitely could have ended fatal too. Don`t get me wrong, i like the track and think its stupid to have too much runoff areas, but we now have often seen that Macau is very dangerous. They should at least try to make the track a bit more safer.

 

[Gringo]

I start to think that Macau is too dangerous.

IOM is by far the most dangerous race in the world.

Edit. Please name a current motor race / circuit that is more hazardous than IOM if you disagree.

 

[Lesley Buurlage]

Haven't seen such a horrific crash since bianchi, and actually feared the same fate had fallen to her, releived she's ok and i wish her a speedy recovery.
Also: this accident has now made me full pro-halo. Alonso going over leclerc seems nothing compared to this, with the speed she flew over the other car that guy could had been decapitated. Halo can't come soon enough to all open wheel classes now

 

[DeVxC]

And no one died ... shocking, not that I wish that but f... hell that's was awful crash, and that marshal getting crash by a falling car ...
Again proves that stupid sausage kerb is doing more damage then good. Oh ye and totaly agree with Lesley Buurlage halo all the way right f... nowhttps://www.racedepartment.com/members/lesley-buurlage.151394/

 

[Will Mazeo]

IOM is by far the most dangerous race in the world.

IOM and Southern races are nuts

I really hate this over reaction when there are some accidents. If people thought that way there would be no racing nowadays.
Plus nobody is forced to race, nobody is forced to watch. If someone dont like just move on.

 

[Kenny Paton]

 

[Theodore 2019]

Excuse me...

I really hate this over reaction. If people thought that way there would be no racing nowadays. Plus nobody is forced to race, nobody is forced to watch. If you dont like just move on.

Wrong, if you're a F3 driver and is trying to achieve higher series you're exactly forced to race there, if F1 drivers think like you we're still seeing 20% of the field death each year as it uses to be.

 

[Rastas]

Excuse me...

I really hate this over reaction. If people thought that way there would be no racing nowadays. Plus nobody is forced to race, nobody is forced to watch. If you dont like just move on.

Nothing compare to that,is the ULTIMATE sport,only for MANS,not kids,i have plans to go there next year,since is very cheap,and no need to pay to watch the races,2 weeks of pure madeness,not even 24 LeMans get the same level.

 

[Jonny Austin]

Not only the curb, the entire "track" is a load of crap, don't know why people like that or even bother to race there

I am sure there are improvements to be made at Macau before next year but in saying they should not race at Macau you are going against the very essence of motor sport & the only tracks left would be COTA style Tilkedromes with no thrill or danger.They have raced at Macau since 1983 & there has not been an accident like that in F3.We all complain about the horrible fences at most tracks where you cannot take photos but this accident shows why we have debris fences.

Have a look at any ticket for a race track in the UK.It says "motor racing can be dangerous".When it ceases to be dangerous then the thrill will be gone & there will be no racing at Macau,Nordschliefe,Indianapolis or the Isle of Man.

 

[KOGamer]

I really hate this over reaction. If people thought that way there would be no racing nowadays. Plus nobody is forced to race, nobody is forced to watch. If you dont like just move on.

I'd tend to agree with your position, risk is present in many jobs working class people do every day, more people die from working their jobs in America (UK, France, name a country) every year than all motorsport combined.

 

[Theodore 2019]

I am sure there are improvements to be made at Macau before next year but in saying they should not race at Macau you are going against the very essence of motor sport & the only tracks left would be COTA style Tilkedromes with no thrill or danger.They have raced at Macau since 1983 & there has not been an accident like that in F3.We all complain about the horrible fences at most tracks where you cannot take photos but this accident shows why we have debris fences.

Have a look at any ticket for a race track in the UK.It says "motor racing can be dangerous".When it ceases to be dangerous then the thrill will be gone & there will be no racing at Macau,Nordschliefe,Indianapolis or the Isle of Man.

Usually people who likes the dangerous factor is those who has never had a indoor karting racing and the major risk they're under too is get a CTD while playing some bugged video-game , there's several stuff that make motorsports exciting, the risk of death should not be among them at least for not mental people.

 

[alexSchmurtz]

This is certainly not something I like to watch! That was terrifying. I'm so glad she seems to get out of this. At least alive. With spinal injury, I do hope she'll be fine and recover. At least to get a normal life. Being 17 might be really beneficial here. My thoughts are with her and her parents, that must be a tough time.