MOTORSPORT: 'Lucky boy' Webber says angle of impact saved him
Aussie ace out of hospital after escaping serious injury in horrific sports car crash in BrazilUPDATE: Tuesday 2/12 11:00 AM
Mark Webber admits he's "very lucky" to have survived the Brazilian crash that destroyed his Porsche 919 Hybrid and says it was the angle of impact with a safety wall that saved him.
Webber has been released from hospital in São Paulo after being held overnight for checks following the horrific accident 26 minutes from the end of the six-hour race at the Interlagos circuit that was the final round of the World Endurance Championship.
Webber tweeted his followers as he prepared to return to his British base.
"Yesterday I was a very lucky boy. The correct angle of impact saved me," he said.
Earlier he had said in a Facebook post while in hospital that he still had a "stinking headache" almost a day after the crash.
Webber suffered concussion and said the morning after that he had no recollection of the crash, in which he collided with a slower Ferrari, spun backwards as the Porsche disintegrated around his cockpit and caught fire as it came to rest after hitting a wall.
Webber said he was "pretty bruised" and "quite sore".
One of his contemporaries from his 12 years in Formula One, Jenson Button, tweeted that he was pleased to see Webber was not seriously injured in the shunt. "That was a big one matey," Button said.
Long-time Brazilian F1 driver Rubens Barrichello visited Webber in hospital.
The Australian veteran of 12 years in F1, including nine Grand Prix wins (two of them at Interlagos), finished ninth in the WEC after joining Porsche for its return to top-line sports car racing, taking on the might of Audi and the challenge of Toyota.
Webber said he had no idea what had caused the crash but the Porsche team was investigating it.
"On a positive note, it's great that the boys in the other [Porsche 919 Hybrid] car managed to bring home the victory, which is a fantastic way to finish off the season. [It was Porsche's first victory since its re-entry to the WEC].
"I'm already looking forward to getting out there again next year."
"On a positive note, it's great that the boys in the other [Porsche 919 Hybrid] car managed to bring home the victory, which is a fantastic way to finish off the season. [It was Porsche's first victory since its re-entry to the WEC].
"I'm already looking forward to getting out there again next year."
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