F3 Driver Sophia Flörsch Conscious after Huge Crash

The FIA has confirmed that F3 driver Sophia Flörsch is conscious following her high-speed crash in Sunday’s Macau Grand Prix, but has been taken to hospital for further evaluation.

Flörsch crashed out of the race on the restart following an early Safety Car period, with her Van Amersfoort Racing-run car getting airborne and launching over another car before going into the catch fencing and surrounding area at the exit of Lisboa.

The F3 race was immediately red flagged to allow officials to tend to the crash site, with the FIA issuing a short statement regarding Flörsch’s condition over an hour after the incident.

“A serious incident has occurred on Lap 4 of the 2018 FIA F3 World Cup at Macau involving car #25 Sophia Flörsch (GER),” the statement reads.

“Following evaluation by medical staff, the driver is conscious and has subsequently been taken to hospital for further evaluation.”

In a subsequent statement issued by the Macau Grand Prix organisers, it was confirmed that four other people had been taken to hospital following the incident, all of whom were conscious.

Besides Flörsch, one other driver has been hospitalised, as have two photographers and one marshal.

Meanwhile, the race was won by Dan Ticktum who clinched his second straight Macau Grand Prix victory on Sunday. He took a dominant lights-to-flag win in a race marred by a lengthy red flag period following a high-speed crash that has left five people in hospital.

After winning Saturday’s qualifying race, Red Bull junior driver Ticktum managed to retain the lead from pole position as Sacha Fenestraz got the jump on Joel Eriksson to move up to second place on the run to Lisboa.

The red flag period lasted more than an hour as the crash site was cleared and repairs were completed, with Ticktum leading the field away after a Safety Car restart as Eriksson re-passed Fenestraz down the inside at Lisboa to take second place.

The Briton crossed the line to become only the third driver in the history of the Macau Grand Prix to win the F3 race in consecutive years, following Edoardo Mortara and Felix Rosenqvist, as well as strengthening his claim for a future Formula 1 race seat.

Eriksson was left to settle for second place ahead of Fenestraz, while Jake Hughes took fourth place ahead of Ralf Aron and Mick Schumacher.