APRIL 9, 2003

Franchitti injured in motorbike crash

Formula 1 aspirant Dario Franchitti has been injured in a motorcycle accident in his native Scotland. The Andretti Green Racing driver suffered a fractured vertebrae when his motorcycle had some kind of mechanical problem and he crashed through a hedge near Edinburgh. He was later transferred to Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow where magnetic resonance imaging revealed that he had a compression fracture of a vertebrae. Franchitti will be replaced at the forthcoming Motegi IRL race by English racer Dan Wheldon.

We hear that in recent weeks Franchitti's name has been discussed as a possible replacement for Antonio Pizzonia at Jaguar Racing, although it is not clear whether the approach came from the team or from Franchitti's management. Franchitti tested a Jaguar back in July 2000.