A 17-year-old female driver spent at least seven hours in surgery Monday after fracturing her spine in a horrifying crash at the Formula Three Macau Grand Prix. The German racer Sophia Floersch hurtled into marshals and photographers after flying off the track on Sunday. "She was admitted for surgery at 10am (0200 GMT)," a press spokesman for Macau's health authority told AFP, saying that surgery was still ongoing into Monday afternoon. Dramatic footage captured gasps from the crowd as the Van Amersfoort Racing driver's car flew through the air and into safety netting at the Guia Circuit's Lisboa bend, a sharp right-hander.

Running 16th, she lost control in a contact down the straight, launched off a kerb and bounced off Tsuboi's TOM's Racing car. A medical report sent to AFP said Floersch was admitted to the emergency room of a Macau hospital with a spinal fracture in a stable condition. Floersch had reassured her fans on Twitter Sunday evening, before going into surgery the following day. "Just wanted to let everybody know that I am fine but will be going into surgery tomorrow morning," she said. "Thanks to everybody for the supporting messages." Japanese driver Sho Tsuboi, two photographers and a marshal were also taken to hospital for treatment.