01/09/2010
NEWS STORY
Rather than taking time out or preparing for next week's all-important Italian Grand Prix, championship hopeful Mark Webber will be back on track next Tuesday raising money for a fellow driver.
The Australian - who is currently just 3 points behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton - is to take part in a fund-raising kart event in Milton Keynes in an attempt to raise money for Kiwi racer Chris Van der Drift.
Van der Drift (right) was injured in a freak accident at Brands Hatch last month whilst participating in the Superleague Formula series. The New Zealander's car touched wheels with a rival's launching it into the air. The Kiwi's car then hit an overhead bridge and subsequently burst into flames before grinding to a sickening halt on the run up to Hawthorn.
In the accident, Van der Drift sustained two broken fingers, two cracked ribs, a cracked right wrist and a dislocated and cracked right shoulder, a broken ankle and a badly lacerated left hand index finger. Indeed, the Kiwi - who was lucky to escape with his life - subsequently admitted that; "the most (Pain) came from my left hand index finger. It was totally mangled"
In an effort to raise money for the youngster's specialist treatment, Webber will join Daniel Ricciardo, Alexander Sims, Jean-Eric Vergne, Brendon Hartley, Oli Webb and Tom Blomqvist in an endurance kart event at Daytona Karting in Milton Keynes on Tuesday 7 September.
The event, which will be open to a limited number of spectators, will also feature a number of professional race simulators, allowing attendees to test their skills against real racing drivers. Furthermore, there is an advance auction whereby fans can bid for one of two places in three of the teams contesting the event.
For more information on the event, including the auction seats, e-mail Jessica Beale
Congratulations to Mark and all the others who have given up their time for such a worthwhile event.