'Like gelatine': F2 driver shares horrific x-rays after fatal crash
Formula 2 driver Juan Manuel Correa has shared images of x-rays taken of his legs in the wake of the horrifying crash that left him seriously injured and claimed the life of fellow driver Anthoine Hubert.
Correa was hospitalised after the accident at last year’s Belgian Grand Prix, which happened when Hubert’s car hit the barriers at the famous ‘Eau Rouge’ section before spinning back into Correa’s path, who had nowhere to go.
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The 21-year-old Ecuadorian-American driver had the motorsport community rally around him as he recovered from his injuries, which left him in intensive care for two weeks.
He has consistently provided fans with updates on his recovery, and took the brave step of sharing x-ray images of his shattered legs taken after the accident.
The severe damage to his lower legs makes Correa’s efforts to return to the motorsport world all the more impressive.
The young Formula One hopeful spoke about the crash earlier this year, saying he remembered every moment.
“I remember everything, I never lost consciousness. It all happened very fast, something went under my car because my front tyres went up in the air,” he said.
“From then on I was kind of a passenger and I didn’t realise I was going to hit the other car until the last moment when I saw just a pink thing in front of me.
“I was kind of in a state of shock. There was smoke coming out of the car, I had to pull myself out of the car.
“At that point I thought I had lost the legs because I couldn’t really move them. It seemed like they were connected by the suit pretty much, they were like gelatine.”
Juan Manuel Correa continues to speak after F2 crash
Correa returned to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit earlier this year for the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix, laying flowers at the site of his and Hubert’s accident.
Taking to Instagram to share the moment, the 21-year-old said returning to the scene of the life-altering accident was challenging and that racing was not the same without Hubert.
“A lot of emotions today coming back to Spa,” Correa wrote.
“Not sure what to say apart from that we miss you mate, the paddock is not the same without you.
“I hope you’re looking down and seeing how much you meant to so many people.”
Correa is continuing to work through his rehabilitation in the hopes of returning to racing in 2021.
“It’s going quite well,” he said in an appearance on F2’s Instagram page.
“I’ve been recovering quite quickly, pushing a lot with that racer mindset, always doing more than necessary, but it’s worked out well.
“I’m actually looking for a comeback next year, so earlier than we thought initially, but it’s looking good.
“I have still quite a few surgeries left to go but the whole metal thing around my leg should be gone by the end of this year, which means I can jump in a car maybe as early as December.”
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