Extent of Scherer’s Injuries Revealed After Le Mans LMP2 Victory

Fabio Scherer, along with his teammates Albert Costa and Kuba Smiechowski, secured Inter Europol’s first World Endurance Championship victory at Le Mans last weekend. However, Scherer had to endure immense pain during the race due to an incident in the pitstop where his left foot was run over by Nicky Catsburg’s GTE Am Corvette while handing over to Smiechowski.

Despite the excruciating pain and swelling in his foot, Scherer persevered. Inter Europol adjusted their race plan to allow him more time to rest. Six hours later, Scherer returned to the wheel and spent a total of eight hours and 20 minutes in the cockpit. Putting on his race boot took about 15 minutes due to the swelling.

Throughout the race, Scherer hopped to the car during driver changes and continued to use his left foot to brake as usual. He chose not to assess the full extent of the injury until after the race, stating his determination to drive and win without distractions.

On Tuesday, it was revealed through a Twitter statement that Scherer is currently relying on crutches, shedding light on the severity of his injury.

Reflecting on the race, Scherer admitted that the pain was most noticeable during slow zones and safety car periods. However, he found that the adrenaline rush surpassed the pain in normal driving conditions. Winning Le Mans was his ultimate dream, and he prioritized it over any temporary discomfort.

Scherer shared his mindset, saying, “I was determined to push through, regardless of the cost. I wouldn’t let foot pain deter me from achieving victory at Le Mans. It’s the pinnacle of my motorsport aspirations.”

Towards the end of the race, the pursuing #41 WRT ORECA of Louis Deletraz closed in rapidly, reducing the gap to a mere eight seconds at one point.

When asked if he had been managing his pace, Scherer replied, “I was aware of the capabilities of the tires. Pushing them too hard in the first stint would have consequences in the second one, and that’s exactly what I wanted to avoid.”

He further commented, “I believe they were more nervous than me because I had a better understanding of our strategy. While it would have been beneficial to know the exact gaps and positions of other cars, sometimes you have to work with what you have and adapt accordingly.”

Scherer explained that Inter Europol’s performance, especially during the second and third stints, was slightly better than that of WRT, which ultimately made the difference. He expressed confidence in the team’s capabilities, mentioning their strong pace in previous races.

Costa, Scherer’s teammate, praised his resilience, stating, “When all the physios rushed to him, I thought it was over for us. But Fabio proved to be a hero! He survived and drove even better than usual!”

Also Read:

• Knaus expresses pride in NASCAR Le Mans Garage 56 “passion project”
• United Autosports explains unusual issues that hindered their Le Mans LMP2 campaign
• Glickenhaus’ Le Mans 24 Hours achievement described as “like a dream”

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More about LMP2 victory

• World Endurance Championship
• Le Mans
• Inter Europol
• GTE Am Corvette
• Nicky Catsburg
• LMP2
• Albert Costa
• Kuba Smiechowski
• Adrenaline Rush