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Teenage driver suffers spinal injuries in horror Macau crash

Sophia Floersch, 17, has miraculously survived one of the scariest motorsport crashes in recent memory.

The teenage driver will undergo surgery for a spinal fracture after a spectacular airborne crash in the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 17-year-old German tweeted: “Just wanted to let everybody know that I am fine but will be going into Surgery tomorrow (Monday) morning … Update soon.”

Floersch has a spinal fracture, according to a medical report released by her team, the Netherlands-based Van Amersfoort Racing.

No further details were available.

Video footage showed Floersch appearing to clip Japanese driver Sho Tsuboi’s car and flying off the track at high speed on a bend on lap four.

Floersch’s car then went through a catch fence, hit a structure on the perimeter and dropped to the ground with safety officials immediately on the scene.

Horror scenes. Image: FIA
Horror scenes. Image: FIA

In a statement posted on social media, motorsport’s governing body FIA said “the driver is conscious and has subsequently been taken to hospital for further evaluation.”

It added that Tsuboi and “two members of the media and one marshal were also transferred to a local hospital in a conscious state for further evaluation.”

Macau is a former Portuguese colony near Hong Kong.