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Moments of fear yesterday morning at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Raceway in Imola during the final weekend of the Italian Speed Championship 2022, more specifically during the National Trophy 1000. Three red flags and just as many interruptions led the Race Direction to cancel the race, effectively handing over the title to 19-year-old Gabriele Giannini. But what was most concerning was the fall involving Luca Salvadori and Simone Saltarelli.
The Dynamics
At the second start, in the very early stages of the race, Luca Salvadori (in cover photo) lost control of his Panigale V4-R as he was exiting the Tamburello. He was thrown off his bike and was then run over by his friend and rival, Simone Saltarelli who was, in turn, hit by another rider. Both riders were transferred respectively to the hospitals of Bologna and Cesena for further investigations. In the past few hours, both Luca and Simone provided updates through their social media channels regarding their conditions, in order to reassure their many worried friends and fans.
Salvadori’s message
“It went much better than I hoped,” Salvadori begain. “They were afraid I had a lung effusion, but I fortunately don’t. I got hit hard. One of my knees is wide open knee, and I got several bumps and bruises, but everything’s okay. I’ll be fine in a few days. I’m really sorry about Simone, since I know he’s worse off than I am. To avoid me, he was hit by another rider. I hope he’ll recover very soon. The dynamic was strange. I opened the throttle when exiting the Tamburello, and the bike made me fly. Maybe it was because of the cold tires. I really fancied it. I thank the marshals, the entire medical team for their extraordinary work, and all those who have written to me during these hours.”
Saltarelli’s message
“It was too bad, but it went very well for me,” Saltarelli admitted. “I have a dislocated shoulder, six broken vertebrae, but it seems like everything will be resolved with a few months rest. I’m really sorry for Luca. I tried in every way to avoid him. Unfortunately, we were too close. Now I'll rest a little, then I’ll come back stronger than before. I know it’s going to be tough, since I'm thirty-seven, but I’ll try. I thank everyone for their messages.”
Photo credit: Salvatore Annarumma
