Aitken to Make Racing Return Ten Weeks after Spa Accident

Emil Frey Racing has confirmed that Jack Aitken will return to the wheel of the team’s No. 114 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo at Barcelona this weekend, ten weeks after a major accident at the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa.

The Williams Formula 1 reserve driver sustained multiple injuries including a broken collarbone and a fractured vertebra in a huge four-car accident at Raidillon on July 31.

Aitken missed three Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS events during his recovery period, but will now head back to the series for the Endurance Cup season finale where he will team up with Arthur Rougier and Konsta Lappalainen.

An Emil Frey statement said that “the team is thrilled” about the impending return of Aitken, “who was able to rest and fully recover, and is now ready to enter the fight once again.”

Aitken posted an update on social media on Tuesday with the caption: “It’s been a long old while, but, it’s race week.”

The accident occurred in the opening hour of the GTWC Europe headline race at Spa.

After spinning and hitting the left-side barriers at the top of the Raidillon hill, Aitken’s Lamborghini spun to a halt in the center of the track where it was struck by the oncoming No. 163 Emil Frey Huracan driven by Franck Perera.

That impact sent Aitken’s car to the right-hand side, where it was hit again by Davide Rigon’s Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020.

The Rutronik Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R of Kevin Estre, who was directly behind Rigon, then impacted the No. 114 Lamborghini’s detached front end.

Aitken and Rigon were taken to a local hospital while Estre and Perera were checked and released from the Spa circuit medical center.

Ferrari factory driver Rigon is yet to make his racing return after the crash, which resulted in the Italian sustaining a back injury.

Alessio Rovera has stepped in to replace Rigon in the No. 71 Iron Lynx Ferrari for the second consecutive Endurance Cup event.

Emil Frey Racing brought in Formula 2 race winner Luca Ghiotto to sub for Aitken at the previous Endurance Cup round at the Nürburgring, while Rougier stepped in as Lappalainen’s driving partner for the Sprint meetings at Brands Hatch and Valencia.