Bushell granted medical clearance for BTCC return

Mike Bushell has been granted medical clearance to return to the British Touring Car Championship for round four at Oulton Park.

The 2014 Clio Cup champion suffered a nasty shunt last time out at Thruxton during qualifying, when the AmD Tuning.com driver collided with Sam Belcher's Toyota Avensis when exiting the pit lane.

The crash sent both cars into the Armco barriers and Bushell suffered a dislocated hip and severe ligament damage. The 25-year-old required pain relief before being taken to Southampton General Hospital.

Bushell says he's recovering well from the crash but an underlying heart problem he contracted during the winter flagged up concerns for doctors but they are satisfied he is fit enough to race and given him the all clear.

"The injury itself is healing very quickly and physically I'm doing fine now, but to be honest I've been in limbo over my heart problem that I suffered in February," Bushell told btcc.net. "I was desperate to be in the BTCC this year so I didn't want to make a big deal of my heart condition.

"I had an inflammation of the heart muscle, which put me in a cardiac ward for a week during pre-season. I did get better but it actually took a lot longer than I thought to reach full fitness.

"Obviously because of the nature of the accident at Thruxton and the doctors not knowing originally if I had broken my leg or if I would need surgery, it meant we had to disclose the information to the hospital.

"Of course this accident alarmed the doctors a little and I've been frantically waiting to be given the all clear and my license approved for racing, which thankfully has now happened."

The Brit is currently contesting his first full season in BTCC after graduating from the Clio Cup as champion last year.