Correa update: Leg injuries 'an important concern'

©AlfaRomeo

Formula 2 driver Juan Manuel Correa continues to undergo treatment in an Intensive Care Unit at a London hospital following his horror crash at Spa-Francorchamps at the end of August.

The Sauber Junior by Charouz driver crashed at the exit of Eau Rouge during the first Formula 2 race of the Belgian GP weekend. The accident also claimed the life of fellow racer Anthoine Hubert.

Correa has been in hospital ever since, initially in Liege before being airlifted to a specialist unit in the UK that deals with acute respiratory failure, a common injury sustained in high-speed accidents.

F2 racer Correa 'improving slightly' in hospital

A new medical statement released this week by Correa's management team confirmed that Correa remained in an induced coma, which helps takes the strain off his lungs and allow them to recover from the trauma.

The statement indicated that there had been a recovery in the condition of his lung but that the 20-year-old Ecuadorian-American's breathing continued to be supported by Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation [ECMO] and a ventilator.

The statement also highlighted the concern for Correa's leg injuries. Because of his respiratory problems, it has not been possible for him to undergo surgery until he makes some improvement.

In full, the medical update states:

Juan Manuel remains in the Intensive Care Unit in a state of induced coma. Although his lungs have gradually recovered, his respiratory functions continue to be assisted by ECMO and a breathing ventilator.

Juan Manuel’s leg injuries remain an important concern and will undergo immediate surgery once his lungs are strong enough to withstand the procedure.

More information will be provided when available.

Correa had been on the F2 podium twice in 2019 prior to the accident. Earlier in the year he had also been appointed as Alfa Romeo's Formula 1 development driver.

A week before the accident, Correa had taken part in a test for Alfa Romeo at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France.

Along with the team’s test driver Tatiana Calderon, he was at the wheel of a V8-powered 2013-spec Sauber C32.

“Driving a Formula 1 car is something I have dreamt about since I was seven years old," he said at the time. "I am extremely excited to finally be in the cockpit."

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.