The terrifying crash suffered by young Swedish driver Carlberg in the Junior WRC last weekend not only shook him physically but also destroyed his championship aspirations. The incident cost him the title and a valuable prize: four fully funded WRC2 rounds next season.
Carlberg was fighting for the Junior WRC title when his rally ended on Saturday. His Ford Fiesta Rally3 rolled violently. He and co-driver Jørgen Eriksen were airlifted to hospital after the accident.
Speaking to Aftonbladet, Carlberg revealed he was travelling at around 180 kilometres per hour when he went off. The car rolled seven or eight times. As a result, Carlberg suffered a collapsed lung, while Eriksen sustained a severe concussion and memory loss. Both have since been discharged from hospital.
Despite the horrifying accident, Carlberg is not hesitant about returning to the wheel of a rally car. “In a way, I think that if you can survive a crash like that at 180 kilometres per hour with only soft-tissue injuries, I am not afraid to get back into a rally car. That is how safe these cars are,” he told Aftonbladet.
However, Carlberg now faces a very different problem. The Swede lost his chance of winning the Junior WRC title in the crash. With the title went a valuable prize: four fully funded WRC2 rounds next season. Carlberg admits he is now in a difficult position.
“The Junior WRC title went to hell. I have always been able to fund my career by winning championships and securing backing that way. Now I have nothing for next season. Competing in motorsport requires a huge budget, and it is obviously now uncertain whether I can continue my career at this level,” Carlberg said.
Carlberg has no intention of giving up, however. He points out that he has demonstrated his pace at the highest international level this season. “Of course, it feels incredibly tough to lose the Junior WRC title this way when we were so close. But right now, the most important thing is that both Jørgen and I are alive, recovering and able to get home in one piece. We have shown this season that we belong among the very best in the world,” Carlberg stressed.
Everything remains up in the air for next season, however. “We currently have nothing confirmed for next year. It is tough, but rallying is my life, and even a season as difficult as this prepares you for the future. Now we have to go home and start working towards the future,” Carlberg concluded.
Baca Juga
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Takamoto Katsuta buka suara soal perjuangannya di WRC setelah crash di Paraguay dan Chile. Pelajaran berharga dan tekad bangkit jadi sorotan.
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