No setback was too big to stop the strong heart of Frederic Sausset from achieving what he was determined to do. The 46-year-old racing enthusiast, who lost parts of his arms and legs to an infection, successfully qualified for one of the most strenuous races of all time – Le Mans 24 Hours. Once he participates, Sausset will become second physically challenged person to have competed in a major endurance race in the past year after Alex Zanardi who made his debut in the 24 Hours of Spa in July 2014.
Speaking about the incident that cost him his limbs, Sausset says on his official page, “In July 2012 I was on holiday and I thought I had a slight scratch. I contracted an infection and within 48 hours it changed into a livid purpuma, and was not treated correctly due to medical negligence. The almost immediate devastating results of this kind of blood-poisoning are necrosis of the extremities of the body before damage to the vital organs.”
He further added, “I was put into an artificial coma, my prognosis for survival was doubtful. Then, I was sent back to the Trousseau Hospital in Tours, in the Burns unit, in order to undergo the amputation of my hands and legs above-the-knees. Some really difficult weeks of physical and psychological suffering followed.”
Sausset says that he completed a lap on the Bugatti circuit in 2 minutes and 5 seconds, on-board of a mass-produced Audi RS3 – three seconds more that 11 times Le Mans 24 Hours participant Christophe Tinseau. The French race enthusiast will participate in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2016 and will drive a specially designed Morgan LMP2 car in the taxing competition. The idea of the prototype LMP2 was hugely supported by many businesses, manufacturers, sportsmen and financial bankers.
In an interview to Fox News Sausset said, “It’s been a long road since July 2012. The accident was a traumatic experience for me, my family and relatives. We had to take on all of that. I imagined this project alone in the corner of my hospital bed. I knew I could have been taken for a fool. But the project has advanced daily and it’s quickly turned into [something achievable].”
Here is video that captures Sausset preparing for the Le Mans 24 Hours. The video is in French so you may want to use YouTube’s translator tool:
We wish Sausset all the luck in the world while participating in the Le Mans 24 Hours and hail his determination. What’s your excuse?