Four-time Dakar Rally winner Mathieu Baumel is determined to make the start of next year’s event, despite losing his right leg in a road traffic accident last month.
Baumel was hit by another car on his way to the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique in Reims when the incident happened.
“As you know, 15 days ago I was involved in a big, bad incident on the side of the road,” he explained in a video message on Instagram. “A car crashed into another car that crashed into myself unfortunately.
“I was sent to the hospital, so now I’m still at the hospital, and now 17 days after I can tell you that I feel much better of course, but that I took one big decision, a big decision in my life to cut my right leg.
“So I will have a new, full carbon system on my new leg but unfortunately it will not be my original leg. And I had three different surgeries to try to fix my left leg which should be OK for the future, so I’m working hard to keep everything running well.
Baumel's full focus is on recovery and preparing for next year's Dakar with de Mévius
“I am confident [and] I am also happy to be here in the hospital in Reims because everybody was really taking care of me and they did it really well. I would like also to thank all the people around the world who send me some support, some video messages, some messages on WhatsApp, Instagram. Thank you to everybody, it gives you love and power to be ready to face what will happen for the future now.
“Now I have only one goal: to of course be ready for the next Dakar, to be ready to be on the highest of the classification of course in a top-level car, T1+, and of course to be ready to be again with Guillaume de Mévius. I am really lucky because today in the hospital he is there so this is good.
“I will give you some more information as soon as I have, but now it’s time for recovery. It will be long for sure, it will take some weeks, some months but I am again good on my mind and ready to face everything in the future.
“See you soon I hope in Dakar.”
