Driver Able to Walk Again in Hospital After Devastating Indy500 Blow

“A lot of people criticize Formula 1 as an unnecessary risk. But what would life be like if we only did what is necessary?” Ask any driver on the grid of any motorsport event and they will not talk about how risky it is, but they will talk about how much they love it. The exhaust note, the almost blurring vision when going, and the adrenaline. But sometimes, this love of theirs might be responsible for ruining their life. After a recent Indy500 crash, a driver was rushed to hospital. However, the driver is better now as he’s now able to walk once again. Who was this driver?

During the practice for the Indy500, Katherine Legge was running behind Stefan Wilson. Legge then bumped the back of Wilson’s car, causing both drivers to slam into the wall. While Legge impacted the wall with the side of the car, Wilson collided head, putting a load of stress through him and the car. Later in the day, it was found that his 12th thoracic vertebrae were fractured, and the driver was kept in the hospital for observation as an injury to the spinal cord is very serious. 

This meant that Stefan Wilson will not be able to take part in the Indy500 main race. It is very difficult for a person to regain full mobility after a smack like that head-on with the wall. Keeping full mobility aside for some time, Wilson wasn’t able to walk because of the fracture. But like it is said, one must never lose hope, even during the darkest of times.

Stefan Wilson has proved that with a strong will, anything is possible. The official Twitter account Wilson posted a video where the injured driver is seen walking once again after the injury for the first time. Wilson takes a little help to get back up from the bed but then walks on his own and toward the end of the video says “I’m back.” Even the caption for the Tweet is “I’m back.” All of us are relieved to see Wilson recovering well. 

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To walk away from an accident at 200+ mph is a great thing, let alone being able to recover from it this quickly. Oscar Piastri was recently asked a question regarding whether he would race in the Indy500 and his response explained why the Oval race is not as easy as it looks.

Oscar Piastri’s awkward conversation with Fernando Alonso on the Spaniard’s crash at Indy500

Fernando Alonso tried his hand at the Indy500, with the highlight being his leading 27 laps in 2017. However, Alonso also got a taste of what it feels like to crash at such high speeds. When Piastri was asked if he fancies racing in the Indy500, the Australian suggested that the thought of crashing at 240 mph is scary enough and he can only imagine how much it would hurt. He then asked Alonso, who had first-hand experience with crashing, to which the Aston Martin driver replied that he did crash. Just goes on to show that even F1 drivers are scared of the high speeds of IndyCar and crashing.

During the Thursday Press conference, Tom Clarkson asked Oscar Piastri if he fancied the Indy500 to which he replied, “Not particularly, 240mph into turn 1. If you get it wrong it’s gonna hurt. [Asks Fernando] Does it hurt? You didn’t crash, I know.” Fernando Alonso, who actually crashed during the 2020 Indy500 practice, awkwardly replied, “I did.”

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Seeing Stefan Wilson walking again was a huge relief to all of us. We all wish him a speedy recovery.