Photo: Joe Portlock / LAT Images / FIA F2 Championship
Formula 2 racer Juan Manuel Correa has been brought out of his induced coma but is “still in a race against time” regarding his injuries.
Correa sustained leg and spinal injuries in the Spa crash that claimed the life of Anthoine Hubert three weeks ago, and has been on life support after developing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
An update issued on Friday described his removal from the coma as “a major step in the right direction” but explained that he is still awaiting crucial surgery on his right leg.
“As of today, Juan Manuel Correa has been removed from the ECMO machine, life support and taken out of induced coma,” the statement read.
“While this is great news and a major step in the right direction, he is still in a race against time.
“Juan Manuel is conscious, but not fully yet awake. Doctors report that this will take a few days due to being in induced coma for more than two weeks.
“They have also stated that Juan Manuel is fragile and still vulnerable medically speaking and that he remains in the Intensive Care Unit. His condition has been upgraded from critical to serious.
“The medical priority for Juan Manuel now shifts from the lungs to the leg injuries that were sustained more than two weeks ago and have not been addressed since the initial emergency intervention the day of the incident.
“Doctors are in a race against time to perform a pending major surgery in order to minimize risk of irreversible injuries to his right lower extremity but can?t proceed until lungs are ready to withstand a lengthy operation.”
Correa, twice a podium finisher in his rookie F2 campaign this year, will have his place in the Sauber Junior Team by Charouz line-up taken by Matevos Isaakyan for the final two rounds of the season.