Jean-Loup Lepan has been brought home to France after suffering a massive crash in Stage #2 of the Rallye du Maroc, resulting in haemopneumothorax along with various fractures.
The accident occurred 145 kilometres into Tuesday’s leg when he was running sixth in Rally2. In the two days before the crash, he finished eleventh in class in Sunday’s Prologue and eighth in Stage #1.
He was conscious when medical help arrived and was brought to hospital in Casablanca, where he was diagnosed with the haemopneumothorax and fractures. Haemopneumothorax is a condition in which air and blood both fill the pleural space cavity between the chest and lungs, which typically occurs due to injuries.
On Friday, Lepan was transported via ambulance and eventually by air back to Amiens, France.
The retirement ends his 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship season on a downer. He finished fourth in the opening Dakar Rally followed by second behind DUUST Rally team-mate Konrad Dąbrowski at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. After an eighth at the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid, Lepan skipped the Desafío Ruta 40 in June bfore returning for the final round in Morocco.
“We are all with you Jean and wish you a speedy recovery,” reads a statement from DUUST. “We hope to see you back on rally tracks soon.”
Lepan finishes the season fourth in points.
