Pascal Wehrlein flips Slingshot at Race of Champions

Formula One driver Pascal Wehrlein was advised to sit out of the Race of Champions Nations Cup rounds after an epic flip in a Polaris Slingshot three-wheeler.

Wehrlein under-steered the Polaris Slingshot, hitting the central barrier and forcing the three-wheeled vehicle into competitor Felipe Massa’s lane at Miami’s Marlins Park. The collision with Massa’s Slingshot caused Wehrlein and his passenger to flip into a side barrier.

Luckily, no one was seriously injured. In true display of sportsmanship, Massa jumped straight out of his car to assist his fellow F1 driver out of the wreckage.

The Polaris Slingshot is fitted with a rollover cage, and both Wehrlein and his passenger managed to escape unscathed. However despite minimal injury, Wehrlein was advised by doctors to drop out of the Nations Cup as a precaution.

“I’d really like to race again and I feel fine, but the doctors have advised me to rest so of course I will take their advice. It’s no more than mild discomfort but my real priority for the coming year is my Formula 1 season,” Wehrlein said in a statement released by the Race of Champions. 

“So while I’m sad to be missing out on all the action, I send my best wishes to my team-mate Sebastian Vettel and the rest of the competitors here in Miami and I wish them another exiting day’s racing.”

The German-born F1 driver, who drove for Manor Racing last year, is preparing to suit up with the Sauber Formula One team for 2017.

Wehrlein was teamed with fellow German F1 driver, Sebastian Vettel, who was forced to race the Nations Cup alone. Vettel managed to get through the day unbeaten, and took home a record-breaking seventh title, beating Team USA NASCAR’s Kyle and Kurt Busch 2-0.

“I started on the wrong foot but it helped me to take it a bit more seriously. Today I just wanted to get some more time on the track. I found the rhythm straightaway and it felt pretty good,” Vettel said.

“It obviously worked out well but of course it would have been nicer to share this victory with Pascal.”