Duval ruled out after after horror smash in practice

Updated 12/06/2014 at 12:33 GMT

Audi's Le Mans winner Loic Duval has been ruled out of the 24 Hours sportscar race on doctors' orders this weekend after a heavy crash in practice on Wednesday.

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Image credit: Eurosport

The 32-year-old Frenchman escaped with only scratches from the high-speed impact that demolished his car but Audi announced later that Spanish reserve Marc Gene would replace him in the rebuilt number one car.

Organisers said doctors had submitted a report to the marshals "disallowing him from racing after the accident he experienced."

Duval won the race last year, as well as the world endurance championship, in a car he shared with Denmark's nine times winner Tom Kristensen and now-retired Scot Allan McNish.

Le Mans 24 Hours