Guy Wilks is currently undergoing checks in hospital following a crash on the opening stage of Rally d’Italia-Sardegna, round five of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
Wilks and co-driver Phil Pugh went off the road on a fast, sixth-gear left-hand corner 8.4 kilometres into the 28.66-kilometre Monte Grighine stage in their Škoda Fabia S2000.
Although Pugh was uninjured, Wilks was flown by helicopter to hospital in the town of Oristano close to the stage after reporting pains in his lower back. He was admitted at approximately 09:45hrs local time and is currently undergoing a series of X-rays and other tests.
A spokesperson for Škoda UK Motorsport said: “The early suggestion is that Guy has suffered heavy bruising. We hope to have more news later.”
Pugh said he and Wilks carried too much speed into the corner, went wide and plunged off the road ending up 40 metres from the stage. The car suffered several front-end impacts against rocks and boulders and is badly damaged but did not overturn.