Wilks fractures vertebrae

Guy Wilks has suffered two fractured vertebrae in his lower back, his Škoda UK Motorsport team has confirmed. Wilks sustained the injury when he and co-driver Phil Pugh crashed during today’s first stage of Rally d’Italia-Sardegna, round five of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Wilks was flown by helicopter to hospital in Oristano complaining of pains in his lower back after the high-speed accident in his Fabia Super 2000. Following X-rays it was discovered that the 29-year-old had fractured his first and second lumbar vertebra.

It is not clear how long he will take to recover but he is set to remain in hospital overnight. It is then hoped he will be able to return to his native United Kingdom on Monday as scheduled.

He said: “We had a good road position so we were pushing hard. We got to an almost flat-left corner seven kilometres into the stage when an error with our pacenotes caused us to leave the road at high speed and that was pretty much it.

“I’m annoyed to be in a hospital bed instead of being on the stages. Obviously it’s massively frustrating to be injured and not out there competing because I’ve missed a massive opportunity and I know that. I’m just really disappointed for the team and for Škoda UK.”

Co-driver Phil Pugh was uninjured in the crash. The British duo’s retirement marks the first time this season that they have failed to score points in the IRC. They had been among the favourites to win the gravel event.