Barlow flips car in terrifying shunt
Formula Ford front-runner Jack Barlow taken to hospital following high-speed crash in testing
Jack Barlow was airlifted to Southampton Hospital following a frightening accident during official testing at Thruxton yesterday (9 April).
The 18-year old Jamun Racing driver’s EcoBoost Mygale left the road at Goodwood, one of the Hampshire track’s fastest corners, dug into the soft ground and rolled. As the car came to rest, Jack was trapped upside down in the car for several agonising minutes. The impact ripped off his visor and left his Arai crash helmet full of earth, although it withstood the full force of the accident.
When they got to him, the rescue team had to gently turn the wreckage over, allowing Jack to undo his seatbelts and climb out.
Despite being conscious throughout and showing no immediate cause for alarm - other than a cut on his leg - he was airlifted to nearby Southampton General Hospital. Scans revealed that he had cracked a vertebra in his back.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Jack said: “I’ve got to see a spinal consultant and stay here until Friday.”
Showing typical fortitude, he added: “So far, the early indications are that I’ve got a good chance of being on the grid at Donington, for the second round of the championship.”
Acknowledging the help of the emergency services, a very grateful Jack said: “I’d like to thank the paramedics who looked after me immediately after my accident and the air ambulance crew, who were brilliant also. The trauma team here at Southampton General have really looked after me and say that I was very, very lucky.”
With the car he took to a superb 3rd place on his Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship debut at Brands Hatch a fortnight ago (29 March) needing to be substantially repaired, Jack turned his concerns away from himself and towards his Jamun mechanics: “I’m gutted for the guys and feel really bad about the car. I’ve pretty-much torn all four corners off it, but I know they’ll do a terrific job of getting it ready for Donington. All I want to do is get back in but will just have to wait and see what the medical experts say first.”
