Meeke flown to hospital for checks after crash

ByAutoSport

Updated 19/05/2018 at 14:35 GMT

Citroen has confirmed its World Rally Championship driver Kris Meeke has been airlifted to hospital for precautionary checks on his back following his Rally Portugal crash.

Kris Meeke of Great Britain and Paul Nagle of Ireland compete in their Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT Citroen C3 WRC during the Shakedown of the WRC Mexico on March 8, 2018 in Leon, Mexico.

Image credit: Getty Images

The C3 driver went off the road on the first run at the Amarante test on Saturday.

He and co-driver Paul Nagle emerged from the car unaided, but Meeke is understood to have suffered back pain which is now being checked in hospital in Porto.

Citroen team principal Pierre Budar told Autosport: "I don't have any information about the crash.

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"I didn't speak with Kris or Paul yet. Our first concern is with the crew, we want to make sure they are OK."

Meeke went off the road on a fast left-hander, with the C3 going straight into the trees.

The Northern Irishman is the second WRC driver to be hospitalised in as many days after Hyundai's Hayden Paddon was admitted with back pain after his SS7 crash on Friday.

The Kiwi was discharged on Saturday morning.

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