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Q & A: Matthew Wilson on injury blow

World Rally driver Matthew Wilson broke his left leg - the one limb he had not previously damaged - in a training accident on Saturday

He spoke to AUTOSPORT about how this latest accident happened and what it means for his season.

Q. Before we get started, give us a quick recap of what happened to the other limbs in past years...

Matthew Wilson: I broke both of my arms and my right leg - actually it was my knee - in a crash on the Rally of Wales in 2005. And now I've got the complete set: I've done the left leg as well.

Q. What actually happened?

MW: I was supposed to be leaving on Saturday for our pre-Sweden test on Sunday, but the test got bumped back a day so I found myself with another day at home on Saturday.

With all the talk of more endurance rallies and things like that this season, I've been working harder than ever in the training to make sure I'm as fit as possible for this season. I've been doing a lot of fell running and when my girlfriend said she wanted to go for a run, we did that on Saturday. It was just starting to snow, but it wasn't too bad. Unfortunately I stepped on a patch of ice covered by snow and my left foot went.

Q. Did you realise it was bad straight away?

MW: Oh yes. I heard it break. I broke a bone, pulled the ankle joint out of the socket and tore the ligament off the side of the bone. The pain was terrible. I tried to stand, but couldn't. We were up near Keswick, it was snowing and I realised, somehow, I had to get off the mountain. We were about a kilometre from the car, so I hobbled with the help of Katie-Ann to get back. By the time I got there, it looked like my trainer was going to explode!

Q. Straight to hospital then?

MW: Yes, we went to Whitehaven, which is a local hospital for us. Dad [Malcolm Wilson] wanted to get some more opinion on the x-rays, so he called the consultant who looked after me seven years ago. I was then transferred to Newcastle, where he operated to get the ankle back in on Sunday. I've got another operation coming for the ligament and a pin to be put in.

Q. Another pin?

MW: I know, I'm like the bionic man now!

Q. What can you do now?

MW: Not much. I've got a cast on. The pain's not too bad in the leg, but the pain of missing Rally Sweden is terrible. This is definitely one of the best events of the year - I can't believe what's happened.

Q. How long will you be out?

MW: Mexico [March 8-11] isn't going to happen either, I'll still have the cast on then. The doctors know how desperate I am to get back in the car, but they're not going to let me rush it. I'm aiming for Portugal at the end of March, that's the goal I've set myself and I'll be working hard to make that happen.

Q. You're no stranger to recovery periods, though: four months wasn't it back in 2005?

MW: Yes, this won't be anything like that. And, fortunately, I can do upper-body work to keep myself in shape this time. Back then with broken arms and the leg, I couldn't do any work at all. It was quite strange as well when we got back to Newcastle [hospital]: I was back in the same room with the same consultant and same anaesthetist - there was a lot of de ja vu going on!

Q. Your family's no stranger to broken bones, either...

MW: Tell me about it. Between Mum, Dad and I we've had five broken ankles! Mum and Dad have both broken both of theirs and I've done one as well now - I suppose I'd better look after the good one!

Q. Sweden's going to be hard to follow from home...

MW: It will, but I'm staying positive, working hard and looking forward to getting back in the Fiesta as soon as possible.

Q. And will you continue fell running?

MW: Argh, I'll be back. What else can you do? You can't wrap yourself up in cotton wool, can you? You need to train and these hills were made for running up!

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