IndyCar driver Justin Wilson comatose after crash

Andretti Racing driver Justin Wilson of Sheffield

Wilson, who was participating in the ABC Supply 500 at the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, was struck on the track during the final laps of the USA race.

It appears that a piece of debris came loose from the car of driver Sage Karam, hitting Wilson in the head. 20-year-old Karam was himself unharmed, walking away with minor scratches.

37-year-old Wilson also had a short stint in Formula One, racing for now-defunct Italian racing team Minardi in 2003. An accomplished racer, he was the Formula 3000 drivers’ champion in 2001.

USA Today reports that Karam’s car spun out of control prior to Wilson’s accident, and the release of debris from this is what hit Wilson in the head. Race authorities described Wilson’s injuries as ‘severe’, and he was immediately extricated from the wreck and airlifted to hospital.

Team owner Michael Andretti, the son of American F1 icon Mario, said the race had been a “tough one”. Sheffield native Wilson's teammate, Ryan Hunter-Reay, would go on to win the race, but the mood at the track remained subdued. Former F1 driver Juan-Pablo Montoya, who was also part of the race and leads the championship, said it was shattering because Wilson was “one of our guys”, and the entire unit had been like a family.

Stefan, Wilson’s brother, is also an IndyCar driver, and kept fans abreast of the situation via social media.

He said he had been trying to reach his brother, and it is currently thought that the driver is in a “critical condition.”

Praying for my bro right now. Trying to get myself and Julia, JWs wife to Pocono. Thank you for prayers and thoughts at this very hard time.

— Stefan Wilson (@stef_wilson) August 23, 2015

I have no update on his condition, he's been moved to the local hospital, and I'm trying to get there to be with him. Please don't speculate

— Stefan Wilson (@stef_wilson) August 23, 2015