[Won]

https://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/floersch-spinal-fracture-macau-injury-report/3216291/

Sophia Floersch has been diagnosed with a spinal fracture after her terrifying crash in the Macau Grand Prix, with all the others involved in the accident escaping without serious injury.
A medical report issued by the Macau organisers states that the 17-year-old German was complaining of back pain, but that her vital signs are stable.

Floersch hit the back of 15th-placed Jehan Daruvala on the flat-out run to Lisboa, and sustained damage to her Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara-Mercedes in the impact.

She hurtled out of control, and got launched over the inside kerb at Lisboa into the TOM’S Dallara-Toyota of Sho Tsuboi.

The impact launched her over the barrier and through the catch fencing into an area occupied by marshals and photographers, striking a bunker construction.

The speed-trap figure before the Lisboa braking area shows that she was travelling at 276.2km/h (171.6mph).

Both drivers, plus two photographers and a marshal, were taken to hospital following the accident on lap four of the grand prix, shortly after a safety car restart.

Tsuboi was admitted to hospital with lumbar pain and will undergo further examination.

The marshal, Chan Cha In, suffered a laceration of the face, abrasion of his upper abdomen wall and a fractured jaw.

Photographer Chan Weng Wang sustained a liver laceration and is being observed in hospital, with fellow photographer Hiroyuki Minami suffering a concussion and likewise under observation.

Ferrari junior Guan Yu Zhou, who was following Floersch at the time of the accident, explained that it was due to yellow caution lights flashing on the straight.

“First of all it was such a scary moment,” said the Prema Powerteam driver, who was making his way through the pack after a crash in the qualification race and an engine change relegated him to 28th and last on the grid.

“Coming after Mandarin [the preceding right-hand kink], I saw the yellow, but I think it was just a mistake by the organisers’ station.

“Sophia was really close to Jehan, so when Jehan braked early she had no time to react.

“She hit Jehan’s right-rear, and that spun her around straight into Lisboa, and she flew into the other car.

“I just hope she’s OK.”

The incident was investigated by the stewards, who ruled that "no individual drive was wholly or predominantly responsible for the collision".

Floersch's team boss Frits van Amersfoort told Motorsport.com that she had been accompanied to hospital by her father Alexander.

“We have to thank the angels she had with her today, and for the fantastic strength of the Dallara car,” said van Amersfoort.

Also, https://www.autosport.com/f3/news/135744/macau-could-need-circuit-changes-for-new-f3

Macau could have to make changes to its famed Guia circuit to accommodate the new-for-2019 International Formula 3 category for its annual grand prix.

The track is homologated to FIA Grade 3 standard until the end of this year, which is the last season before the current F3 is replaced by the FIA's new International F3 one-make racer.

Under FIA rules, Grade 3 circuits can accommodate cars with a power-to-weight ratio of 2-3kg per 1bhp.

With the FIA aiming for 350bhp for the new International F3, this means that the car would have to weigh a minimum of 700kg to race in Macau - that would be 40kg heavier than the 660kg minimum for Formula 1 machinery next year.

Alternatively, if Macau moved to Grade 2 status - for cars with a power-to-weight ratio of 1-2kg - then the new International F3 would fall into this bracket without needing to be considerably heavier than F1 cars.

FIA safety director Laurent Mekies, whose remit encompasses circuit homologation and who leaves the governing body in June, told Autosport: "What we want is the right safety level for the right car.

"If the car comes with a power-to-weight ratio that doesn't limit it to Grade 3, we are not going to add kilos onto it to make it still a Grade 3 - that would be silly from our side.

"The car will come with the lowest weight possible, and we will then run simulations to do what it takes to make Macau suitable to that car and to that power-to-weight ratio.

"If it means going to Grade 2, that's what we will do - we are currently doing these simulations and seeing where it takes us; it's a lot more precise and refined than just looking at the weight and the power."

Pun Weng Kun, president of the Sports Bureau of the Macau SAR Government, told Autosport: "Should changes to the circuit be required in order to accommodate a particular car, then those changes would be evaluated and their feasibility assessed.

"Until any potential changes have been identified and studied, it is too early to say whether or not it would be possible to implement them, and therefore to change the current circuit homologation."

Pun did not rule out retaining the current generation of F3 cars - which will continue to be run in the Japanese F3 Championship and could form the basis of a revival of the F3 Euro Series - in 2019.

"The organising committee will evaluate all options and take decisions which will best ensure the Macau Grand Prix retains the reputation, popularity and heritage it has earned over the last 64 years," he said.

Such a move could entail Macau moving outside its association with the FIA - which awards FIA F3 World Cup status to the Macau GP - although Autosport understands this relationship is reviewed on an annual basis.

"We have worked with the FIA on matters concerning the F3 Macau GP since the formula was introduced at Macau in 1983, and always on an annual basis," said Pun.

"As a matter of course, each year the organising committee reviews the race programme to ensure it is both prestigious and diverse.

"Given our long and positive relationship with the FIA across a broad spectrum of areas, the organising committee hopes this cooperation will continue for many years to come."

The car was turned upright by the catch fence and went into the media bunker top side first. I'm guessing her helmet didn't make contact with the wall, otherwise we would be reading about a much more serious injury. I think the halo should help in this scenario, by lifting the "broomstick" line higher and reducing the possibility of deformable walls touching the head as it bends around the roll hoop and the leg hoop. Conversely, it also acts as an energy absorbing device when top-loaded, i.e. if this crash happened into a solid wall like one of the buildings right behind the catch fence. Already in 2018 there have been a number of accidents and near-misses where the top ring/back leg of the halo stopped objects from getting too close to the head. They are already working on the next iteration of the halo so it will only get better from here, including the aesthetics.