Crowdfunding Campaign Launched for Injured Martin Donnelly

[Paul Jeffrey]

Former Formula One driver Martin Donnelly suffers serious injury as crowdfunding campaign starts to help support the driver in his recovery.

Perhaps most famous for his horrendous F1 career ending accident during practice for the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, a crash that left the then Lotus driver with significant injuries to his legs and contusions on both the brain and his lungs, Donnelly has continued to earn a living from motorsport in the following years, without ever again reaching the heights of a return to Formula One racing.

In recent times Donnelly has made sporadic appearances in various forms of motorsport while working as a professional racing instructor and raising money for various charity organisations.

It was on one of these charity events that the Northern Irishman would suffer another injury to his legs, that could potentially mean the 55-year-old will need to undergo an amputation - leaving Donnelly unable to continue working and earn a living from the sport in which he has been associated for most of his life.

Due to Donnelly's financial position, the inability to earn money in the coming weeks and months will have a significant impact on the popular driver, something that has been recognised from the motorsport world with the start of a new crowdfunding campaign to help the former F1 racer cover the costs of his recovery and future living.

GoFundMe campaign for Donnelly - contribute here.

"(he) never made any money in Formula 1. He works his nuts off every week instructing and doing anything he can to try and pay his way" said a statement on the new GoFundMe campaign page.​

"Only last week Martin set off on a moped to ride around Ireland to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. During this event he fell off his moped and was hit by another rider – this has broken his already damaged leg just above his knee.

"There is a real possibility Martin will lose his leg – something Martin has fought for over 30 years to keep."​

"Every day, it's looking worse not better. Basically Martin cannot work for a minimum of three months, if at all, and he has no savings."​

You can contribute to the Martin Donnelly campaign by clicking THIS LINK

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[Erimus Kamzel]

Sad news. First Schumacher, now Donnelly....

 

[FeltHat]

Whoa, folks donated a lot already, good job Wish you successful recovery, Martin

 

[Tormentor]

Gave me shiver when you look in the donor list and see Zanardi, Classic Team Lotus, Dario Franchitti, Ralf Schumacher and so on. Can't give much, but everything helps.

 

[gamer19]

Seems like the people of Racedepartment(TM) aren't really impressed with deeply depressing stories like this one.
What did so called Rich energy drink said about Haas or vice versa is much more popular here these days.
Now that's sad.

 

[RufGTI]

I wish him well, but I am not about to give money to an ex-F1 driver who in a number of cases has shown poor handling of money (bankruptcy, disputes over driver contracts as team owner, unpaid alimony).

If you're really about to give money to someone in motorsports who deserves it, consider supporting journalist Marshall Pruett and his wife Shabral to pay for her breast cancer treatment (Help Support Marshall Pruett's lovely wife Shabral). Marshall is a freelance author for the American RACER magazine and makes great podcasts about the Indycar and worldwide sports car scene that give a lot of insight into the sport.

Or you support someone else.

 

[Chris Haye]

I wish him well, but I am not about to give money to an ex-F1 driver who in a number of cases has shown poor handling of money (bankruptcy, disputes over driver contracts as team owner, unpaid alimony).

If you're really about to give money to someone in motorsports who deserves it, consider supporting journalist Marshall Pruett and his wife Shabral to pay for her breast cancer treatment (Help Support Marshall Pruett's lovely wife Shabral). Marshall is a freelance author for the American RACER magazine and makes great podcasts about the Indycar and worldwide sports car scene that give a lot of insight into the sport.

Or you support someone else.

Classy post dude. Classy.

That's enough internet for today I think!

 

[Antony Snook]

I saw Senna movie when his Lotus crashed he was separated from the tub (housing around driver) which stays intact these days. and you could see him on one side strapped to seat. It was horrific to see. Big accidents in our eara just do not look like that. It shows how far F1 has come in design and construction of F1 cars.