Ruberti Sustains Fractured Vertebra in Accident; Ruled Out For Le Mans

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

Paolo Ruberti has been ruled out the 24 Hours of Le Mans after sustaining a fractured vertebrae in a massive testing accident at Hockenheim.

The Italian driver has been hospitalized with a fractured lumbar vertebrae, after the car he was coaching lost its brakes at more than 120 mph.

His student driver, who was in the passenger seat, was hospitalized as well but did not sustain any broken bones. Ruberti, meanwhile, will undergo surgery tomorrow to stabilize the fracture.

The Jack Leconte-led Larbre team has yet to announce Ruberti’s replacement for this weekend’s test day or the race itself.

He was due to share the wheel of the No. 50 Corvette C7.R with Pierre Ragues and Yutaka Yamagishi.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John