Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein says his back injury at the start of the year could have ended his career had he not taken the necessary time off to recover.
Wehrlein fractured three vertebrae in his back in an accident at the Race of Champions in January, leading to a period of rehabilitation when he was unable to train for the start of the F1 season. He missed the opening test in Barcelona and then skipped the first two races after declaring himself unfit following the practice sessions for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The decision not to race drew criticism from some onlookers, but following his return to racing in Bahrain he tweeted a series of photos showing how serious the injuries had been. Speaking at the in-season test in Bahrain the following week he said it was crucial for his long-term fitness that he took the necessary time off.
"I think I was quite good in not letting all the comments affect my recovery or my thoughts," he said. "I knew what injury I had and how bad it was. The teams knew -- both Sauber and Mercedes [which manages Wehrlein] -- they knew what I had and I was never getting pressure from here or Mercedes, because this injury in the end is quite serious and could have ended my career.
That's history ✔️
— Pascal Wehrlein (@PWehrlein) April 17, 2017
Many thanks to those who worked so hard with me since my injury happened 🙏🏽 Especially @SauberF1Team and @MercedesAMGF1! pic.twitter.com/WK2dxYBLqt
"But I was lucky enough that we knew straightaway that it was fine and just needed time and that it would take the time it takes. So we can't change that and so I drove the car in Barcelona [testing], took it very easy, drove the car in Australia -- with a week of training in between -- and I felt a lot better then. But after the first day in Melbourne I realised that it was too early for my back and too early for my fitness and I was not fit enough to drive the car.
"Of course it was very frustrating for me and a hard time for me, because I already had in my mind that I was going to Melbourne and I might not be able to race and then to realise it on Friday evening is hard, because you have been looking forward to it for a long time and you are in the car and then you realise you have to jump out again and it's not possible.
"And then Mercedes and Sauber did not push me into anything and the support I got from both teams was amazing. Then I went straight back home to get into training and we decided together not to do China and do another week of proper training before coming back. So from Melbourne to here was a tough time -- also mentally because there was nothing else going on in my head other than 'I want to come back as soon as possible'. I think the training went quite good because of that as well."
Wehrlein impressed on his return in Bahrain, qualifying 13th and finishing 11th in the uncompetitive Sauber. But he said it was qualifying rather than the 56-lap race that left him in more pain.
"That's why I was surprised after the race. On Saturday I had more pain than on Sunday, which was strange and I don't understand it but that's how it was. Probably I was running the kerbs heavier in qualifying, I don't know, or maybe I got used to it.
"On Saturday in qualifying I had quite a lot of pain and I think you could see in the video that I had to stretch my back on Saturday evening. But in the car I'm fine and it doesn't distract me at all but then you get out the car and you twist and bend and of course I feel something."
But the whole experience has not put him off attending the Race of Champions in the future.
"I will go again to the Race of Champions. Maybe not this year and maybe I won't drive a car with three wheels, but for sure I will go there again. This year maybe I will skip it once, but for sure I will go there. It was my third time at the Race of Champions, I've been to Barbados, London and this year in Miami - it's always a great time. I think the racing is not the main point of this event, it's having fun together with different drivers in different series. I will go there again, they always look for nice places to go!"