Having been set to partner Steve Kirsch at Team Honda ADAC Sachsen again for 2017, Dominik Fugel has officially announced that he will not be taking part in this year’s ADAC TCR Germany Series.
The 20-year-old recently had surgery at the HELIOS Klinikum Borna at the end of March, following a hefty accident at the Nürburgring Nordschleife in the Opel Astra OPC the previous week, as he was to race in the VLN Cup1 category.
Fugel has had two metal rods and four screws surgically implanted at the base of his neck, and made a conscious decision to recover fully before racing, and made the following statement by his official Facebook page:
“For the next 6 months, I have a metal frame in my back. There is a risk of paralysis if there is another accident, which can happen in a series with over 40 cars.
“For me and the team, the risk is too big for us, so unfortunately I will have to wait until 2018 to get back behind the wheel again.
“Although it hurts a lot to not start this year, it is the better decision to make.”
As of yet, Team Honda ADAC Sachsen have not decided whether they may still field the second Honda Civic TCR, which Fugel was due to compete in, and no official annoucement has been made from the team themselves.