By Charles Bradley - autosport.com
Superleague Formula frontrunner Chris van der Drift has escaped from
his horrifying crash at Brands Hatch today, during which he hit the
bridge before Pilgrims Drop, with a broken ankle, injured shoulder and
hand.
Olympiacos racer van der Drift was battling with Roma's Julien Jousse over fifth place in the closing stages of the second race. He used his last push-to-pass on the exit of Surtees bend, and attempted to overtake Jousse on the right-hand side. As Jousse moved across at the kink, van der Drift's front-left wheel struck Jousse's right-rear, catapulting him into the air.
After striking the parapet of the bridge in mid-air, his car was launched into a dizzying series of spins, briefly catching fire, and came to rest in the middle of the track on its side. The wreckage was narrowly missed by following cars as it came to rest at the bottom of the dip in the circuit.
After being stabilised at the scene, where he was conscious and talking to medics, van der Drift has been taken to hospital in Dartford. It is understood he will undergo a surgical procedure on his injured hand this evening.
Jousse said of the incident: "I knew he was there, but he came so quickly. I was a bit slow, because I was on worn tyres, and I didn't want to protect my position from him. I stayed on the right and I thought he'd pass me on the left."
