'Miracle' survivor Sophia Floersch vows to race on, and reach F1!

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Over a month after her horrendous crash in the Macau Grand Prix, F3 racer Sophia Floersch is a "miracle" survivor on the mend, with big dreams for the future.

Floersch's car went airborne at 275 km/h after hitting another car and clipping a kerb on the opening lap of last November's Macau Grand Prix, coming to rest after smashing into a photographer's tribune.

The 18-year-old survived the massive crash and impact, but underwent seven hours of surgery to repair a fractured spine. Floersch has since returned home to Germany for a lengthy period of recovery and rehabilitation.

FIA to investigate Sophia Floersch's Macau GP horror crash

"I’m feeling good. It all happened like four weeks ago and I can nearly do everything," she told the BBC.

"The last two weeks have been quite OK; I started with my rehab two weeks ago so you don’t lose any more muscles at the beginning, and so my body keeps working again.

"For me now, it’s just about finding the basics, to build up my strength and arms and legs, but I can do everything apart from using my back and my neck.

"I need to start everything slowly and build it up from there, so I’m building my training up, adding more weights each day," she added.

"It depends, of course, how the bone knits together again, but that’s the plan and I will try to be fit then again."

The fact that Floersch survived the horrendous crash was miraculous in itself, but even more impressive is the young driver's will to return to the race track and resume her ambitions.

"The video got quite big and a lot of people saw it," she said.

"A lot of people texted me, especially F1 drivers like Alonso, Rosberg and Hulkenberg, but also F1 teams.

"It’s just unbelievable to see how close not just family stays and to have all those fans all over the world supporting you.

"Of course I hope to be back behind the wheel.

"The plans are to do the same series again as I did this year, the F3 European Championship which is now called Euromasters – so that’s going to be my plan.

"Hopefully it will be with Van Amersfoort, the team that I raced with this year, because they are an amazing team."

But Floersch is also looking well past next season, with her sights set on racing at the pinnacle of motorsport sometime in the future!

"I’ll see how it goes, but my goal is to get to Formula 1 and have success there and maybe be world champion," she boldly stated.

"It’s quite a big goal but I’m getting closer every year and I think it’s possible to be there, for sure, and to be a woman world champion.

"I just want to be the best driver. I think the woman part comes by itself."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.