FORMULA 3 driver Sophia Floersch has fractured her spine in a crash during the F3 World Cup final in Macau that left multiple people seriously injured.
In horrific footage, the 17-year-old German's car can be seen losing control at 170 mph and launching into the air over a rival's car and into fences in the media section.
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Initial medical reports after the accident released by her team say she sustained a spinal fracture from the collision.
Her car crashed into fellow racer Sho Tsuboi - who was also taken to hospital.
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That is one very blessed young woman.
That car looked likewas an unguided missile and it had to be a 50G+ deceleration, which is usually fatal.
Nice is overrated
"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government." Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
November 18, 2018, 09:54 AM
P250UA5
Terrifying. Is any Macau GP possible without some major incident? Seems to be one of the more incident-prone circuits.
Also, I don't see the halo on the cars. Different series? I know F1/F2 have it. Thought F3/F4 would too.
The Enemy's gate is down.
November 18, 2018, 10:12 AM
Jimbo54
It appears that she never slowed down for the corner. It almost looked as if she was accelerating.
Jim
________________________
"If you can't be a good example, then you'll have to be a horrible warning" -Catherine Aird
November 18, 2018, 10:12 AM
Outnumbered
It's hard to see in the first video since the footage is slowed WAY down when she comes into frame; but in the second (full-speed) video, it's mind boggling how fast she came into that turn, especially compared to the other cars which are at an appropriate cornering speed. I wonder if it was a mechanical or human error that caused that.
November 18, 2018, 10:16 AM
sigmonkey
She hit another car (not on the video) further back up the straight away while they were at speed. That was all it took to change if from a land vehicle to a missile.
"the meaning of life, is to give life meaning" ✡ Ani Yehudi אני יהודי Le'olam lo shuv לעולם לא שוב!
November 18, 2018, 11:05 AM
old rugged cross
It is nuts that a 17yo driver could obtain the kind of skill to drive a vehicle like that at those speeds on a course like that against other competitors. Mind boggling to me. I hope she and anyone else injured can make a full recovery.
"Practice like you want to play in the game"
November 18, 2018, 11:20 AM
konata88
I wonder if she knew a turn was coming up or was thinking she had to go straight? She should know a turn was coming up, right?
If she knew, then she must have been airborne before most drivers generally hit the brakes? Or maybe that's why she got airborne - other drivers were hitting their brakes and she didn't?
Amazing to survive that. I've seen cars totaled not doing more than 30mph.
"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy "A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
November 18, 2018, 11:23 AM
old rugged cross
K, SM explained what happened. Also what the article said.
"Practice like you want to play in the game"
November 18, 2018, 11:37 AM
Muddflap
It’s amazing she survived that. She’s a lucky young lady.
November 18, 2018, 11:38 AM
konata88
quote:
Originally posted by old rugged cross: K, SM explained what happened. Also what the article said.
Ah, missed the link to the article. Just saw the videos.
"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy "A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
November 18, 2018, 11:44 AM
MattW
quote:
Originally posted by old rugged cross: It is nuts that a 17yo driver could obtain the kind of skill to drive a vehicle like that at those speeds on a course like that against other competitors. Mind boggling to me. I hope she and anyone else injured can make a full recovery.
These drivers are cut from a different cloth. They were likely making laps on tracks by age 7 at speeds most of us don’t see on a daily basis. Driving is often all they know, and that’s meant as a compliment. Their families often make huge sacrifices for them to race, it’s a different world to say the least.
November 18, 2018, 11:50 AM
old rugged cross
Matt, 17yo is 17yo. I don't care about the cloth you think she is cut from. Her or anyone else cannot have their chops at 17. If I am am and experienced driver and their is someone out their that is putting me at risk because they do not have the time in or the developed skill experience can only provide I am not going to except that. That is way to young for that kind of responsibility, imo.
"Practice like you want to play in the game"
November 18, 2018, 12:08 PM
MattW
quote:
Originally posted by old rugged cross: Matt, 17yo is 17yo. I don't care about the cloth you think she is cut from. Her or anyone else cannot have their chops at 17. If I am am and experienced driver and their is someone out their that is putting me at risk because they do not have the time in or the developed skill experience can only provide I am not going to except that. That is way to young for that kind of responsibility, imo.
I’d venture that she is of average age for Formula 3. And she isn’t there by chance, she’s there just like the rest of the drivers, for a sound reason. Racing at that level requires dump truck loads of money. Team owners don’t simply let an unqualified person sit behind the wheel.
November 18, 2018, 12:13 PM
PD
A 17 year old from Europe is older than a 17 year old from here in the US.
November 18, 2018, 12:33 PM
tigereye313
Astounding that she survived.
November 18, 2018, 01:20 PM
az4783054
There's teenage drivers in NASCAR and NHRA that have to qualify for their racing licenses the same as any 'adult' racer as long as they meet the minimum age requirement. They're highly skilled, competitive and successful.
A tragic event like this can occur with any racer of any age.
I'm retired and owe no one an apology for my personal opinions.
November 18, 2018, 02:47 PM
Jimbo54
quote:
Originally posted by sigmonkey: She hit another car (not on the video) further back up the straight away while they were at speed. That was all it took to change if from a land vehicle to a missile.
This video shows that she actually was going backwards when she airborne. She had no control whatsoever.
"If you can't be a good example, then you'll have to be a horrible warning" -Catherine Aird
November 18, 2018, 03:40 PM
bigdeal
That was horrible. I wish her well in her recovery.
A question. How does a 17 year old end up in an F1 car? I thought F1 cars were some of the most difficult to drive and took years to develop the experience to drive them successfully.
----------------------------- Guns are awesome because they shoot solid lead freedom. Every man should have several guns. And several dogs, because a man with a cat is a woman. Kurt Schlichter
November 18, 2018, 03:56 PM
furlough
It was an F3 car, not F1. F3 is one of many breeding grounds for F1 drivers.
These drivers start racing karts at incredibly young ages - like 4 years old.
For reference, Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix Formula One race when he was 18 1/2 years old.
This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears above ground he is a protector. Plato
November 18, 2018, 04:09 PM
parabellum
Seventeen years old? Europeans make less sense to me every day.
