MOSCOW, 16 Jan – Three-time Dakar winner Spaniard Carlos Sainz Sr., who was involved in a serious accident on the ninth stage of the 2023 rally marathon, said that he had a fracture of two vertebrae.

Sainz had an accident on January 10, his car overturned. The 60-year-old Spaniard was sent by helicopter to the hospital, but on the way to the hospital, Sainz asked the pilots to return him back to the car. However, the Spaniard’s crew was forced to withdraw from the marathon, as the car was seriously damaged beyond repair. Upon arrival in Madrid, Sainz decided to undergo additional medical examinations due to ongoing back pain.

Sainz won the Dakar off-road category in 2010, 2018 and 2020. He is also a two-time world rally champion (1990, 1992). His son Carlos Jr. competes in Formula 1 for Ferrari.