Romeo Ferraris’ Bruno Spengler suffered from a spinal fracture in his high-speed crash in the FIA eTouring Car World Cup at Vallelunga, the Canadian has revealed.
In the Pool Fast Super Final, Spengler was sent into a high-speed crash at Turn 2 on the third lap when he suffered from a failure, which the team has said is for ‘reasons still to be investigated’.
Spengler’s Giulia lurched into a high-speed backwards spin, briefly lifting into the air through the gravel before impacting the tyre barrier.
As a result of the incident, Romeo Ferraris withdrew its two cars from the Pool Furious Super Final later in the day, prematurely bringing its weekend to an end.
“Following the accident that occurred in the DHL Super Final Pool Fast of round five of the 2022 FIA ETCR eTouring Car World Cup held at Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi, Bruno Spengler, the driver of #7 Romeo Ferraris entry, after initial examination in the circuit’s Medical Centre was transferred to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with a mild fracture of T6 thoracic vertebrae,” said the team in a short statement.
Watch: Spengler crashed out in FIA ETCR Super Final
Spengler, the 2012 DTM champion, elaborated further on the extent of his injuries in a subsequent social media post.
“Following my Crash on Sunday in Vallelunga, I was diagnosed by the medical team of Paideia Clinic in Rome with a spinal fracture,” said Spengler.
“My focus will now be directed towards a speedy recovery to be back in the car ASAP and for the rest of the season.
“We are still investigating what technical issue caused the car to be uncontrollable in T2.
“I’d like to thank the whole medical team, FIA ETCR and everyone involved in helping and supporting me.
“I want to finish this off by saying a huge and special thanks to Michela Cerruti and the Romeo Ferraris team for their solidarity and consideration towards their pilot’s safety.
“With regards to the situation, the support the team provided me with is one I’ve very rarely came accros in my career. The Romeo family gives me the energy to push harder to get back up as fast as I can.”
Team Principal Michela Cerruti explained the team’s decision to withdraw its other car, which was set to be raced by Giovanni Venturini in the Pool Furious Super Final.
“There is obviously great bitterness in the team, because our home stage ended as we never would have hoped for,” said Cerruti.
“What matters most now, however, is knowing that Bruno is fine after his bad accident, of which he was the protagonist. We wish him to recover as soon as possible.
“In the impact the car was seriously damaged and therefore it was not possible for Maxime [Martin] to compete in the Final of the Furious pool, in which we could have celebrated the second consecutive victory.
“As far as the other car is concerned, we didn’t think it safe to let Giovanni race after the puncture suffered by Luca [Filippi] in the Fast pool.
“We are left with the awareness of having an extremely competitive and growing package, with the hope of redeeming ourselves in the next away match on the calendar.”