Ryan Tveter admitted that everyone involved in the horrific-looking crash in the opening race of the Red Bull Ring weekend of the FIA European Formula 3 Championship were lucky to escape with relatively minor injuries.
The Carlin driver was the catalyst of the crash after spinning at turn four, but ended up stopped on the racing line, with Zhi Cong Li unsighted as dust hid his team-mates car, with the Chinese driver crashing violently into the back of Tveter’s car before being launched high into the air and corkscrewing before landing in the gravel trap.
Van Amersfoort Racing’s Pedro Piquet was also an unfortunate casualty of the crash, finding himself unable to avoid Tveter’s car, and although the Brazilian was unharmed, Tveter suffered a concussion and a bruised knee, while Li went to hospital with broken bones in his heel and four fractured vertebrae.
Tveter praised the way the Dallara Formula 3 car stood up to the crash, with the consequences being far better than they could have been had safety not been a priority in the championship.
“We’ve very lucky that all of us involved are OK,” said Tveter. “I cannot express more gratitude to the FIA, Dallara, FIA F3, and all those involved in pushing safety forward in racing. Because of them, we’re still here.
“I visited Peter (Li) in the hospital on Sunday, and I’m wishing him all the best for a speedy recovery. I can’t wait to see him back in the car as soon as possible!”
