Dutchman hits barriers hard at Blanchimont in GP2 race
Sunday 23 August 2015 10:44, UK
Daniel de Jong had four hours of surgery on his sixth vertebra after a huge accident during the GP2 Feature Race at Spa on Saturday.
Remarkably, and a testament to the strength of the Dallara built GP2 car and the trackside safety, that was his only serious injury despite the velocity of the crash.
The Dutch driver was on the outside of Pierre Gasly as the pair headed flat out towards the left hand bend. As Gasly moved towards the outside of the track, De Jong's front left tyre made contact with the front of the right rear on the DAMS car, firing the MP Motorsport driver into the tyre wall.
Such was the impact speed, the car buried itself in the middle of the tyres as it speared into the barrier.
After an initial safety car period, the race was delayed for over 30 minutes when the red flag was thrown to allow De Jong's car to be recovered and the barrier to be repaired.
De Jong will remain in Liege hospital next week.
