Fittipaldi sustains suspected broken legs in Spa WEC crash

Officials from the FIA have confirmed that Pietro Fittipaldi has sustained suspected fractures to both of his legs after a crash during qualifying for the World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on Friday.

Qualifying behind the wheel of DragonSpeed’s #10 BR Engineering BR1 Gibson car, Fittipaldi lost control at Raidillon before turning right for Eau Rouge, causing him to go straight on into the barrier at high speed.

The session was red flagged immediately before medical officials were sent to tend to Fittipaldi on site. He was then taken to the medical centre where further work was completed.

"At 15:52 today, Friday 4 May 2018, the #10 DragonSpeed BR Engineering BR1 left the track at high speed at Raidillon, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The incident occurred during the LMP qualifying session for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps," a statement from the FIA reads.

"The car was being driven by Pietro Fittipaldi of Brazil. The driver, who was conscious at all times, was attended immediately by the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps medical services and FIA medical delegate Jacques Tropenat, extracted from the car and taken by helicopter to Centre Hospitalier de la Citadelle de Liege with suspected fractures to both legs.

"He is accompanied by the DragonSpeed team manager and his condition is not life-threatening."

The grandson of Brazilian Formula 1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi, Pietro had been due to make his WEC debut this weekend, having won last year's Formula V8 3.5 title.

Fittipaldi was balancing his WEC running with programmes in both Super Formula and IndyCar this year, and was set to make his first appearance at the Indianapolis 500 later this month with Dale Coyne Racing.