Cristiano Da Matta fights for his life...

[Jack_Bauer]

Current Champ Car racer and former Toyota F1 driver Cristiano da Matta is in a 'critical' condition in intensive care after a freak incident saw him collide with a deer during a test session.

RuSPORT driver hits deer on track; airlifted to hospital

ELKHART LAKE, Wisc., Aug. 3, 2006 - Champ Car World Series driver Cristiano da Matta (#10 RuSPORT Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone) was injured Thursday when his car collided with a deer on-track during today's Champ Car Open Test at Road America.

Da Matta was airlifted to Theda Clark Memorial Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for a subdural hematoma. The following is a statement released by Champ Car Medical Director Dr. Chris Pinderski.

"After arriving at Theda Clark Medical Center a head CT scan showed Cristiano had suffered a subdural hematoma. He was urgently taken to the operating room for surgical removal of the hematoma and is now being observed in the intensive care unit."

The series will continue to closely monitor the situation concerning the 2002 series champion and will issue immediate updates as they become available.

I'm no medical expert, but I'm fairly sure injuries like this will more than likely bring a sad end to the Brazilian's career in topclass motorsport. After winning the Champcar title in 2002 he moved to Formula 1 with Toyota for two seasons partnering Olivier Panis. Sadly the car was never competitive enough for him to show what he was really capable of. Since moving back to the States in 2005 he has continued to be a very competitive driver in the series.

The RuSport team have withdrawn da Matta's British teammate Justin Wilson from the test at Elkhart Lake.

Let's hope he pulls through without any lasting damage.

[acemotorsport]

holy shit a deer how the hell would a deer get on the track

[Coventrysucks]

holy shit a deer how the hell would a deer get on the track

The same way a deer gets anywhere.

Pretty unfortunate incident, if you're going to get badly injured in a crash, you'd probably hope it would a spectacle worthy of entering motorsport legend, not something that random and feintly silly.

I hope he is able to make a good recovery, and still continue to compete at some level.

Maybe he can team up with Zanardi for some wheelchair racing.

[drakkie]

The injuries are not necesarrily deadly. Depending of the size and location of it,he might lose some skills. He is lucky it was detected early,now its upto the doctors and himself.

holy shit a deer how the hell would a deer get on the track

Have you ever seen a deer jump ? They CAN jump incredibly high, upto 2 metres if they are scared. If the barriers where not very high, it is not that hard.

[acemotorsport]

ive seen a kangaroo on track at bathurst and in 2005 jim richards hit one

[shockwaveracing]

Maybe he can team up with Zanardi for some wheelchair racing.

you really are pathetic, even as a joke that sucks, the guy is fighting for his life and you are joking about him possibly spending the rest of his life wheelchair-bound, shame on you!!!

[Coventrysucks]

Obviously you missed "I hope he is able to make a good recovery".

What I meant by that comment is that I hope that he makes a good recovery, and is able to continue his racing career, even if it isn't at the highest echelons, as soon as possible.

The reference to a wheelchair is simply that I imagined that the first wheeled contraption that he would be able to race would probably be just that, and the reference to Zanardi, specifically, was in light of the fact that he was able to come back from injuries which, logically, should have totally written him off as a race driver, and therefore we should keep in mind that anything is possible, and we shouldn't completely abandon the idea that da Matta will race again.

[RacingManiac]

holy shit a deer how the hell would a deer get on the track

If you've been to Road America you'd know how.....the track is in the middle of no where....

[:Exige:]

you really are pathetic, even as a joke that sucks, the guy is fighting for his life and you are joking about him possibly spending the rest of his life wheelchair-bound, shame on you!!!

Wow - some people don't have a sense of humour on this forum. I bet you're the sort of person who wants everyone to be unhappy at your funeral and generally want to cause in inconvenience when you're gone ... you're not self centred at all.

[Cotterik]

hope he's ok. especially having never displayed his full potential.

does anybody mention the deer's recovery? enter the animal-right corporation

[fpv_gtho]

Pretty unfortunate turn of events. I guess it doesnt take that much of an imagination to realise the severity of such an impact.

[MrKipling]

I saw Eddie Irvine hit a rabbit at SIlverstone with fairly serious consequences. I dread to think what the race car (and the stupid animal!) looked like.

[Zytek_Fan]

Alligators get onto Sebring quite a bit. They'll climb over the wall
And there are scorpions in several places (tyre barriers, and occasionally in pit lane).

[Xpunk75]

My god, How horrible.

Lets hope for the best.

[Equinox]

i hope he pulls through to race again...

i wish him the best of luck!