The British driver is currently recovering in hospital after suffering concussion and fractures to his ankle and two verterbrae in what was a truly horrifying crash at the Indy GP of Houston yesterday.
Franchitti was entering turn five on the final lap of the Grand Prix at the Reliant Park circuit when his car collided with the back of the car being driven by Takuma Sato just in front of him, a collision which sent his vehicle upwards and into the surrounding fencing at very high speed.
Debris was scattered all over the track and, according to The Guardian, as well as Franchitti, a number of fans were injured by parts of the fence that were sent into the grandstand as a result of the crash.
Franchitti won’t require surgery but will probably require a lengthy period of rehabilitation, while the incident will be subject to an in-depth investigation considering that it occurred nearly two years since Dan Wheldon was killed in a crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
An IndyCar statement on the incident read: “Officials are investigating the incident and currently do not have further information at this time. Fan and driver safety are always a primary concern and we will provide further details as they are available.”
Looking at the crash again, Franchitti can thank his lucky stars that he survived and we wish him all the best in his recovery.