Dario Franchitti crashed during the final lap of the Grand Prix of Houston on Sunday. The Four-time IndyCar Series champion tagged a slower Takuma Sato coming out of Turn 5 at the Reliant Park race course, causing his car to go airborne and slam into a catch fence. Dario Franchitti fractured two vertebrae, broke his right ankle, and sustained a concussion. Debris from Franchitti's mangled car injured 13 spectators and a series official behind the catch fence.
According to Houston Fire Department spokesman Ruy Lozano, 11 of the 13 injured fans were treated on site while two were taken to the hospital. Dario Franchitti was brought to an area hospital in Houston. Meanwhile, the series offical was treated for minor injuries. Dario Franchitti was transported to the hospital as well.
"On the last lap I caught the marbles and brushed the wall and lost momentum," Takuma Sato said. "A couple cars passed me as I was off line and in Turn 5. I got very loose and Dario and I came together. Hopefully Dario is OK." According to Sato, his car had clipped the wall before Franchitti collided into his. E.J. Viso was also involved in the incident when his car crashed with Sato.
For many of the drivers that slowed to drive through the wreckage, the Takuma Sato, E.J. Viso, and Dario Franchitti crash was reminiscent of the terrible crash at Las Vegas in 2011 that cost Dan Wheldon his life.
“The smells and the visuals, for me, and even talking to Will, you have the remnants of Vegas popping into your head with you coming around the corner and you can't drive through it because there's a field of debris,” said Franchitti's Ganassi Racing teammate, Scott Dixon. “There was no near the amount of damage that we saw [in 2011], but seeing the replay was a big shock.”
See the video of the terrifying Dario Franchitti crash that injured 13 spectators and a series official and caused him to fracture two vertebrae, break his right ankle, and sustain a concussion.
