Manuel Gil Del Real suffered a significant accident this Saturday at the ‘Corkscrew’ turn of the Laguna Seca circuit, which interrupted the scheduled activities of the IndyCar weekend. The American driver was airlifted to a hospital in Salinas after the crash.
According to reports from specialized media, Gil Del Real collided with the tire stacks during the final race of the year for the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West. The accident caused his car to fly through the air before landing in the vegetation after spinning several times. Broadcast images showed that the front of the Porsche 911 Cup separated from the rest of the vehicle, but the safety cage did not suffer significant damage.
An official statement from Porsche Motorsport North America indicated: “Manuel Gil Del Real, driver of the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West, is conscious following an incident that occurred at the Laguna Seca circuit during Saturday morning’s race. He has been transferred to a hospital in Salinas, where he is being examined and treated. More information will be provided as soon as it is available”.
The accident recalled the tragic episode of Uruguayan driver Gonzalo Rodríguez, who lost his life in an accident in 1999 at the same location. Unlike that incident, which occurred before the widespread adoption of the HANS device, the safety equipment of Gil Del Real’s car helped protect the driver during his accident.
The area where the crash occurred has been renamed the Zanardi Corkscrew, in honor of driver Alex Zanardi, who passed away this year and is a legendary figure in motorsport. This turn has been famous since 1996 for Zanardi’s overtaking maneuver, known as “The Pass”, which is iconic in the history of the sport.
With a length of only 137 meters and a drop of 18 meters, this section of the circuit poses a significant challenge for drivers, requiring precise maneuvers under adverse conditions. Gil Del Real is also known for owning a digital marketing company.
Source: www.infobae.com
