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Gus gets green light after crash

WRC 2 frontrunner gus greensmith will start this week's ADAC Rallye Deutschland (16 - 19 august) despite a huge test crash which hospitalised him and co-driver Craig Parry.

Greensmith left hospital on Saturday afternoon following Friday morning's shunt. Parry remains in a ‘stable and comfortable' condition in intensive care at Trier Hospital after being flown there by air ambulance.

The accident happened on the daunting Baumholder military roads, which host the majority of Saturday's second leg action in the ninth round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

"It was a mistake on my part," Greensmith told wrc.com. "I hit a hinkelstein sideways at about 120kph on Craig's side of the car. I'm sore but getting better and there's no reason why I can't start the rally. It'll be uncomfortable, but I'll manage."

The 21-year-old Briton suffered bruised ribs and trapped nerves in his neck and back, with his neck causing the most discomfort. He wished Parry well for a ‘full and speedy recovery'.

Greensmith lies third in WRC 2 after second places in Mexico and Argentina, and third at the most recent round in Finland in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5.

The car was too badly damaged to be repaired for the rally and M-Sport has despatched a replacement which Greensmith will drive for the first time at Thursday morning's shakedown.

Welshman Parry has partnered Greensmith since the start of 2017, having co-driven Elfyn Evans the previous season.

He posted on social media on Sunday saying: "I'm still in ICU (intensive care unit) in Trier in a stable and comfortable condition. I will know more in the coming days what will be the next step forward for me. I will let you know as and when. Thanks for all the messages so far."

He will be replaced in Germany by Stuart Loudon, who has previously competed with the British squad alongside Matthew Wilson and worked for the team during its title-winning WRC campaign last year.

Zdroj: wrc.com