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Newsletter |
Brendan's co-driver (and sister), Rhianon Gelsomino, is recovering in the United States after a nasty incident during a rally last weekend. Rhianon, who now lives in America with her husband, was co-driving for Nick Roberts in the Oregon Trail Rally when their rally car caught fire and burst into flames during a stage.
The fire started after we sustained a mechanical failure which punctured the fuel tank.
I suffered burns to my face and both my hands. Nick did not sustain any injuries
Since I sustained the burns I have been into hospital each day for treatment. Tomorrow I will go to a burns specialist who will assess my burns and tell me the next steps in the recovery process. So far it’s been about redressing the burns each day and preventing infection. The burns are healing very well and the pain is mainly only in the right hand now.
I am working to compete in the next round of Rally America - STPR with Nick, however this depends on my recovery and Nick's team building a new car all within three weeks.
In the Rally America Championship you are only required to wear the fire proof race suit, HANS device and a helmet. They have no rulings on balaclavas, footwear or fireproof underwear. However, regardless of the rules I always wear the full safety equipment that's possible. In the fire I was wearing all my fire proof apparel. I was also wearing a full face Stilo helmet which saved me from many more burns on my face. I am very thankful for that.
In Rally America I believe they should make fireproof apparel compulsory to wear, but in the ARC I think the rules in place currently are perfect and do the job needed.
I am now going to try out wearing co-drivers gloves and suggest anyone to consider a full face helmet.
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