Franchitti Injured in Houston

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Four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti has fractured his spine and broken his right ankle in a high-speed crash at the Houston Grand Prix.

The Scot, 40, suffered multiple fractures after hitting the track wall.

His car flipped into the air following a final-lap collision with Takuma Sato, with at least 13 spectators injured by debris that flew over safety fencing.

Franchitti's team owner Chip Ganassi said: "His ankle and back are a little sore. He is going to be okay."

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Franchitti hit the back of Sato's car and was propelled into the air and against the fence. His car exploded into several pieces but did not catch fire.

Sato said his car "caught the marbles", chunks of rubber that come off the tyres and lie on the track, before brushing the wall and losing momentum.

"A couple of cars passed me as I was offline and in turn five," said the Japanese driver. "I got very loose and Dario and I came together."

IndyCar later released a statement confirming Franchitti was awake on his arrival at the hospital and would be monitored overnight

The statement read: "IZOD IndyCar Series driver Dario Franchitti was admitted awake and alert to Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center in Houston for a concussion, spinal fracture that will require no surgery and a fracture to the right ankle. He will be kept overnight."

Actress Ashley Judd, who married Franchitti in 2001, though the pair separated earlier this year, tweeted that she was on her way to Houston to see him.

Race promoters said 11 spectators were treated at the track while two more were transferred to hospital for evaluation.

Franchitti's former team-mate Dan Wheldon, from England, died in a crash at the Las Vegas Indy 300 in October 2011.

Will Power, who won the Grand Prix, said the accident reminded him of the Las Vegas crash, where he and Wheldon both hit the fence.

"Yes, that's what it reminded me of," he said. "I just saw Dario's car and him sitting in it with a lot of damage. I hate seeing that. We try to keep these cars on the ground."

Franchitti's team-mate Scott Dixon, who leads the overall standings, echoed Power's thoughts.

"The smells and the visuals, 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," he said.

"There was nowhere near the amount of damage that we saw (in 2011), but seeing the replay was a big shock."

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Franchitti IndyCar Win Tribute to Wheldon

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Rubens Barrichello Goes Indy

Former grand prix driver Rubens Barrichello has switched to US-based IndyCar racing after failing to find a drive in Formula 1 this year.

The Brazilian, 39, the most experienced F1 driver in history with 322 starts, will drive for the KV Racing team.

Barrichello had previously promised his wife he would never race in IndyCars because of the greater danger of their races on high-speed oval tracks.

"I'll start as a rookie but I think I will get better," he said.

The number of oval tracks on this year's calendar has been greatly reduced but four still remain, including the famous Indianapolis 500.

Barrichello's decision will have been made harder by the multi-car crash at last year's season finale which claimed the life of Englishman Dan Wheldon.

According to KV Racing, it was Barrichello's two sons who convinced his wife, Silvana, that their father should pursue a career in the US.

Barrichello, who won 11 grands prix in a 19-year F1 career in which he drove for the Jordan, Stewart, Ferrari, Honda, Brawn and Williams teams and has signed a one-year deal added: "I am thrilled. My main thing is to be an addition to the team.

"They have been doing very well. Tony [Kanaan, a close friend of Barrichello] brought them to a different level last year, so I hope with my contribution we can build on this and take the team to another level.

"I am extremely happy and have a big smile on my face."

IndyCar has been struggling in recent years, with declining crowds and limited coverage on television in the US.

Four-times champion Dario Franchitti recognised that Barrichello's arrival can only boost the profile of the series and strengthen the field.

Via his Twitter account, Franchitti said: "Great news @rubarrichello is confirmed in @IndyCar. I think the competition level just went up again!!"

FACTFILE

Born: 23 May, 1972 in Sao Paulo

Teams: Jordan, Stewart, Ferrari, Honda, Brawn GP, Williams

Grand Prix: 325

Points: 653

Wins: 11

Poles: 14

Dan Wheldon Crash Cause

IndyCar officials say British driver Dan Wheldon was killled after colliding with a fence pole that lined the Las Vegas Motor Speedway track.

Wheldon died aged 33 following a multi-car pile-up in the final race of the 2011 season on 16 October.

InyCar say the pole "intruded in the cockpit and made contact with the driver's helmet and head."

Critics had previously questioned the race's safety considerations, including the number of cars allowed to compete.

But officials say the starting field of 34 cars was "deemed to be acceptable" and that the accident could have occurred with "any size starting field at any track".

Wheldon, who was bidding to win a $5m jackpot by coming from last on the starting grid to win in Las Vegas, was one of 15 drivers involved in a crash at the second corner on lap 13.

After contact between two cars further ahead in the field, Wheldon's crash was sparked by a spin from Vitor Meira that led to a collision between EJ Viso and Charlie Kimball.

IndyCar's accident report, which took two months to compile, found that Wheldon decelerated from 224 mph to 165 mph just seconds before running into Kimball.

Wheldon's number 77 car then "travelled in a nose-up, semi-airborne state for approximately 325 feet" before hitting the pole.

Wheldon then suffered "two distinct head forces", the second of which "produced the non-survivable blunt force injury traumas to Dan's head".

Scheckter Wants Son to Quit IndyCar

Former Formula 1 world champion Jody Scheckter wants his son to quit IndyCar racing following the death of Briton Dan Wheldon.

Scheckter was a spectator at Sunday's Las Vegas Indy 300 and had an anxious wait before discovering son Tomas had escaped unharmed from the 15-car crash.

"I've wanted him to give up for a while," said Scheckter.

"Hopefully this will knock some sense into him and realise there is more to life. It really isn't worth it."

Asked whether the sport was safe, Scheckter told BBC Radio Berkshire: "No. It is the most dangerous form of motor racing at the moment.

"I think the set-up they put in so it can be more of a spectacle makes it very, very dangerous on circuits like this. Some others [circuits] aren't as bad."

Scheckter, 61, who won the Formula 1 title for Ferrari in 1979, claimed the crash was "inevitable" due to the changes designed at making IndyCar more competitive.

He said wings allowing more downforce were aiding the speed of cars, and also pointed to the number of drivers - 34 - who took part in the race.

"There is hardly any difference in speed between the good drivers and the bad drivers," said Scheckter, a South African who now runs an organic farm near Basingstoke.

"They were basically touching wheels at 220mph. They all bunch up together so there are 34 cars in a small space of track.

"One person makes a mistake and this happens. You [shouldn't] have to get killed if you make a mistake. It was madness. Formula 1 is not like that anymore and it is still quite exciting."

Scheckter said he was in a hospitality suite when the crash happened and feared the worst for his son, who has competed in 115 races, winning two.

"We really just hoped," he said. "I had the headset on through to his channel and I heard him say 'someone had hit me in the back' so I knew he was OK after that.

"Dan raced with or against some of my sons in England in Formula Vauxhall. We have known him for years really. He has been very successful. A bubbly guy all the time. It is very sad."

Former Formula 1 and IndyCar driver Mark Blundell said the Las Vegas track was unsuitable for cars of the power and speed used in Indy 300.

"It was inevitable in many ways," the Briton said of Sunday's accident. "It was a recipe for disaster. These type of cars shouldn't be on these type of circuits.

Former Formula 1 driver and BBC commentator Anthony Davidson said a $5m offer to any non-regular series driver who won the season finale in Las Vegas was not to blame.

"We drive our hearts out - you know, whether it's at the back of the grid or the front of the grid - our goal is always to win a race and you know it was a great idea and I wouldn't put any blame on the organisers or that style of the race," he said.

"You've got to look to the root of the problem and the root of the problem is just the fact that you've got very high speed cars travelling around very closely fought races with open cockpits.

"You have to question, do they have to go that fast? Can the spectators see the difference between 250mph or 160mph? I am not so sure.

"I don't think it is down to the style of the race or the carrot at the end of it. The temptation and carrot of the money is always there no matter what race you are in."

Scottish IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti, who clinched his fourth IndyCar series title after the cancelled event, also had concerns about the race.

"I could see within five laps people were starting to do crazy stuff," he said.

"I love hard racing but that to me is not really what it's about, one small mistake from somebody.

"Right now I'm numb and speechless. One minute you're joking around and the next he's gone.

"He was six years old when I first met him. He was this little kid and the next thing you know he was my team-mate.

"We put so much pressure on ourselves to win races and championships and today it doesn't matter."

Dan Wheldon 1978 - 2011

British driver Dan Wheldon has died following a massive accident at the Las Vegas Indy 300.

Buckinghamshire-born Wheldon, 33, was one of 15 drivers involved in a crash at the second corner on lap 13 of the series' season-ending race.

Wheldon, who began IndyCar racing in 2002, was series champion in 2005 and won the Indy 500 in 2005 and 2011.

Lewis Hamilton, 2008 Formula 1 world champion, said: "This is a tragic loss at such a young age."

He said: "He was an extremely talented driver. As a British guy, who not only went over to the States but who twice won the Indy 500, he was an inspirational guy, and someone that every racing driver looked up to with respect and admiration.

"My heart goes out to his family and friends during this extremely difficult time," added Hamilton.

Wheldon was airlifted to the nearby University Medical Center where he was joined by his family - including his wife Susie and two young sons Sebastian and Oliver - but his death was announced to his fellow drivers in a meeting at the track.

Formula 1 driver Jenson Button wrote on Twitter: "Just woken up to the most horrific news. Dan Wheldon RIP."

He tweeted: "I have so many good memories of racing with Dan in the early 90s, a true fighter. We've lost a legend in our sport but also a great guy."

It was the first IndyCar fatality since 2006 when Paul Dana was killed during the warm-up for the season-opening Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The accident at the Las Vegas track happened when a number of cars came into contact on turn two, sending several of them airborne, smashing into the outside wall and catch fence.

With cars burning and debris littering the track, the race was red-flagged.

Wheldon had started the race at the back of the field and had made up 10 places in the first 12 laps before the crash.

It was the first-ever death at the circuit in its 40-year history.

IndyCar chief executive Randy Bernard said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

Bernard added: "The IndyCar drivers and owners have decided to end the race in honour of Dan Wheldon and the drivers will take part in a five-lap salute."

When drivers returned to the track, Wheldon's 77 was the only number on the scoreboard.

The song Danny Boy was played followed by Amazing Grace as the teams' crew and mechanics stood around the track.

The Briton, who was driving for Sam Schmidt Motorsports on Sunday, had failed to secure a regular ride this season after being replaced by JR Hildebrand at the Panther Racing team.

Despite that, Wheldon put together a deal for the Indianapolis 500 with Bryan Herta Autosport, a race he won after Hildebrand crashed going into the final turn.

The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from Terminator or somethingIndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe

He took up IndyCar chief Bernard's offer to pay $5m (£3.1m) if any non-regular series driver entered and won the season finale at Las Vegas.

There were 34 cars entered in the Las Vegas race - one more entry than was the case at the far bigger Indianapolis 500 circuit.

Earlier in the week, drivers had voiced concerns about speeds of close to 225mph being reached at the track during practice.

"I'll tell you, I've never seen anything like it," said driver Ryan Briscoe.

"The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from Terminator or something. I mean, there were just pieces of metal and car on fire in the middle of the track... just debris everywhere."

The ending of the race resulted in Scotland's Dario Franchitti winning a third straight series crown, as a result of rival Will Power also been caught up in the accident.

Franchitti's only thoughts though were for his compatriot, and the 38-year-old was seen in his car in tears before setting off on the five-lap salute.