Opening practice for the second round of the World Endurance Championship took place in continuous rain which contributed to an accident for Kazuki Nakajima, who hit the back of a slow-moving Audi #8 on the fast Kemmel Straight. After complaining of back pain immediately after the incident, he was assessed at the circuit medical centre then transferred to hospital in Verviers for precautionary checks. Unfortunately those checks have revealed a fractured vertebra. The #1 car will therefore be driven by World Champions Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi this weekend.

Kazuki Nakajima: “First of all I want to say thanks to the race director Eduardo Freitas and his safety crew as well as the doctors at the hospital here in Verviers who have taken great care of me. I will just focus on coming back as soon as possible. There’s not much I can say about the accident. I was on the straight and suddenly through the spray there was a car right in front of me; I had no time to react.”

Toshio Sato (Team President): “We are all upset to hear about Kazuki’s injury. The team will support him in these next days as he recovers in hospital before returning to Japan at the first opportunity. It is too early to speak about the future. Right now our priority is to make sure Kazuki is okay. Looking at the video of the accident it is clear that the visibility was very poor due to the spray and there was nothing Kazuki could do.”

(Based upon Toyota Racing press information)

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, THURSDAY JUNE 12, 2014, QUALIFYING. Kazuki Nakajima was the first Japanese driver to take the pole of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.