Correa to complete astonishing comeback with F3 drive

Ian Parkes
Monday 1 February 2021 12:28

Juan Manuel Correa will return to racing this year just 20 months after a horrific crash that led to him requiring multiple surgeries.

Correa sustained fractures to both legs and a minor spinal injury following an incident in the F2 feature race at Spa-Francorchamps in August 2019 that claimed the life of Anthoine Hubert.

The 21-year-old also spent a week on a life-support machine after his lungs filled with liquid due to his body going into shock following the 70G smash.

After going through a painstaking rehabilitation process, the 21-year-old will compete for ART Grand Prix in Formula 3, with the seven-race season provisionally due to start in Barcelona in early May.

“First of all, I’m extremely happy to be back after what I’ve been through," said the Ecuadorian-American, who underwent several surgeries and lived with a brace on his leg for more than a year.

"I am super thankful to ART Grand Prix. It means a lot to me that they’re believing in me and my comeback.

"F3 is a transition year, my dream is still to reach F1 and this is the first step in my comeback.

"My targets are a bit ahead of myself, because I still have to do a lot, I have not driven a car for a year and a half and there is a big learning curve ahead.

"I’m entering this season with an open mind, I won’t put pressure on myself, I will do my best, I will do what I love and that’s already a victory."

Prior to his crash in F2, Correa had spent a year and a half in F3 with Jenzer Motorsport, scoring a string of points finishes.

Addressing his remarkable comeback ART GP team principal Sébastien Philippe said: “Since his horrendous accident in Spa, Juan Manuel has been through a lot of phases, always fighting while keeping in mind that he did not want to give up on his dream to keep racing at the highest possible level.

"Juan Manuel is an example of bravery and tenacity and ART Grand Prix is proud to give him the opportunity to return to racing.

"He is extremely strong mentally, he is still fighting to be as fit as possible and he is hungry. Behind the wheel, his talent is immense, as shown by his achievements in go-karts and then his first few years in motorsport.

"We are keen to accompany Juan Manuel to resume his career and to help him climb the ladder once again. He will give the team the benefit of his talent and experience.”