Couto Injured in China GT Accident

Former Macau Grand Prix winner Andre Couto is recovering in a Hong Kong hospital following a serious accident in last weekend’s China GT Championship round in Zhuhai.

Couto sustained a fractured L1 vertebra after he lost control of his Spirit Z Racing Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, which made a heavy head-on impact with the tire barriers.

While having initially been treated in a Zhuhai hospital, the Portuguese driver was medevaced to Hong Kong, where he remains in stable condition.

Couto posted to his Facebook page that doctors have determined he will not need surgery.

“The broken vertebrae is not compressing the nerve system so I am very lucky as it’s broken in many pieces,” he wrote. “Now the doctors are making a treatment plan for the upcoming challenging months ahead.”

Despite having a GT racing career largely in Asia, Couto made his Pirelli World Challenge debut earlier this year with Bentley Team Absolute at Lime Rock Park, subbing for Alexandre Imperatori.

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