Anthony Davidson hoping for swift recovery from Le Mans back injury
Anthony Davidson is hoping that he can recover sooner than the three months doctors have told him it will take to heal the breaks to his T11 and T12 vertebrae sustained in his massive accident in the Le Mans 24 Hours
The 33-year-old Briton was hospitalised after the crash, which occurred when Piergiuseppe Perazzini's GTE Am Ferrari turned in on Davidson's Toyota hybrid prototype, ultimately sending it airborne and into the barriers.
"Basically I have two broken vertebrae; T11 and T12," said Davidson. "The doctors say the average recovery time is three months, but that's an average person not a professional sportsman or athlete.
"That estimate is to get back to an absolutely healed bone; as strong as it was before. It's more like three weeks until the pain subsides and I get my mobility back fully.
"I have felt better, that's for sure," he added. "I am in a bit of pain, in my lumber area, the middle area of my back. That's the only thing that hurts really so I've been lucky."
Davidson, who will remain in a local hospital near Le Mans until Wednesday before beginning his recovery, described his accident, which began while his car still travelling above 300km/h, as 'petrifying'.
"The car was all the way to the left as you would expect a pro driver to do," explained Davidson. "It was only when I got right up to the back that I realised it was one of the amateur-stickered cars.
"But I still wasn't alarmed, I still felt it was a completely legitimate move and thought he would stay to the left, which it looked like he was doing. I made the apex of the corner, started to brake and I was almost out of the corner when I felt contact on the left rear.
"Instantly it spun the car, pivoted round to the left, then took off and turned upside down," he added. "At that point I felt I was in an aeroplane out of control. I knew how close the barriers were, and travelling at that speed I was going to be there in no time.
"That part of the crash was pretty petrifying. It crashed back down to the ground, I felt an almighty punch up my spine when the car hit back down on four wheels. I still had my eyes closed and my hands off the wheels, in the brace position.
"Half a second after that I had the forward impact into the barrier."
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