McLaren stars Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton have written personal get-well letters to a team fan seriously injured in Monaco this week.
Minutes before first practice on Thursday a grandstand at Tabac gave way, resulting in 49-year-old Lawrence Relph from Margate plummeting 35 feet to the ground.
Relph was taken to the local Princesse Grace hospital, where he is currently recovering after breaking his back and left leg.
A second man involved in the incident was fortunate to escape injury as he clung on to the wooden stand as it collapsed.
A McLaren spokesman yesterday visited Relph in hospital, taking the letters and a copy of a limited-edition book released two weeks ago by McLaren, signed by both Button and Hamilton.
Button said: 'It was pretty serious so we both wrote him a letter saying the obvious, "sorry to hear about your incident, get well soon".
'We also thanked him for his support because he is a massive fan of the team.
'It's obviously a very difficult time for him. He came here to watch Formula One and he hasn't watched anything. He's been in hospital.
'We've done as much as we could. Hopefully he is watching us on television in the hospital.'
Hamilton added: 'We wouldn't be here without our fans. They mean a huge amount to us and the team, and we're grateful for all the support we get.
'When we heard about what happened we were quite saddened about it, so sending him a letter was the least we could do.
'Hopefully he has a speedy recovery because what's happened is tragic, but at least he will get better.'
As an incentive for his recovery, Relph has been invited into the McLaren motorhome as a weekend guest for next year's race.
No comments:
Post a Comment