Surgery may have been a success but nothing will help Ford star Chaz Mostert return to V8 Supercars action this year.
Defending Bathurst 1000 champion Mostert has officially been ruled out for the rest of the season despite successful leg surgery in Orange hospital on Saturday.
He had a rod inserted into his left leg.
However, his Prodrive Racing team are already on the lookout for a replacement driver in the wake of Mostert’s spectacular qualifying crash on Friday.
Mostert broke his leg and wrist in the accident that also injured three officials and postponed qualifying until Saturday.
“Mostert is resting after several hours in surgery earlier today,” a Prodrive Racing statement said.
“He had a pin inserted in his broken left femur and has also had a cast applied to his fractured left wrist.”
Mostert assured fans on social media he was on the improve after surgery.
“To all my family, friends, awesome fans, officials, volunteers and medical team I’m on the mend and over the moon with the support,” he posted on Facebook.
“I had an operation this morning for my leg, all is well and I’m on the mend.”
But Prodrive Racing have begun their search for Mostert’s replacement as they are required to contest the remaining 12 races.
They must also find a co-driver for Cameron Waters for the next round, the Gold Coast 600 enduro, which is within a fortnight.
Waters was Mostert’s Bathurst 1000 co-driver.
“There’s a significant force onto his femur (leg) there to snap it like that,” V8 Supercars medic Carl Le told Fox Sports TV.
“He won’t be back in the car this year but I’m pretty confident that he should be right for Clipsal (opening round in Adelaide) next year.”
Mostert revealed he feared most for the race officials forced to jump for their lives in the aftermath of his crash.
He blamed sun glare for throwing him off his racing line before his Ford pinballed off walls approaching Forrest’s Elbow at up to 170kph.
It was his second shock crash in three years at Mount Panorama.
“My biggest fear was for the safety of the marshals but to hear none were seriously injured is a big relief,” Mostert said in a team statement.
“I’m really sorry for the team as it was my error that put us out and also destroyed a car.
“I just lost my racing line due to a bit of sun glare and glanced the wall.
“From there I was a passenger and took some pretty big hits.”
Meanwhile, one of the flag marshals injured in the crash reportedly hoped to return to action on the mountain on Sunday.
Barry Cox suffered rib and shoulder injuries plus a head knock and was taken to Orange hospital on Saturday before being cleared.
“Hopefully I will be back up there tomorrow,” Cox told speedcafe.com website.
“It would be good to see everyone and thank them and the medical staff for everything they did.”
