Barth and Dahlgren sustain injuries at Macau

SUNRED driver Fredy Barth and Volvo’s Robert Dahlgren sustained injuries in two separate crashes on Friday at the Macau circuit, with Barth being kept in hospital for observation and Dahlgren breaking his thumb in a crash which caused heavy damage to the C30.

Fredy Barth suffered a heavy impact at Faraway Hill with just over five minutes of the afternoon’s free practice session to go. The Swiss driver was knocked unconscious, and is suspected to have kept the car at full throttle which caused the car to overheat and catch fire.

It was a few minutes before the marshals were able to get to Barth’s car and render assistance, with the 31-year-old being extracted to hospital with smoke inhalation, where he has been diagnosed with concussion and back contusion and is being kept in for observation, though he had a clear cat scan.

Volvo Polestar Racing’s Robert Dahlgren was the second injury of the day, though less severe. In the second qualifying session, Dahlgren crashed at Paiol, locking up as he entered the corner. The heavy impact also saw the car catch fire, but Dahlgren was quick to exit the vehicle and escape over the barrier.

Volvo Motorsport Director Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin told TouringCarTimes the team suspect Dahlgren hit some debris from the Menu/Couto incident in the first part of qualifying which caused the sudden loss of control. Dahlgren was taken away for a scan on his hand, where it has now been confirmed he has a broken thumb, specifically his right first distal phalange, and will be withdrawn from the race.