Østberg and Barth were involved in an accident during the Rally di Roma Capitale, part of the European Rally Championship, on Sunday. The Citroen C3 Rally2 driven by the Norwegian star veered off the asphalt road and crashed into a tree on the co-driver’s side.
The ERC released a video of the incident, stating that Østberg and his Swedish co-driver Barth were unharmed. However, this was not accurate.
Watch the video of Østberg and Barth’s accident below.
According to Østberg, the situation was frightening.
“Patrik lost his consciousness and was bleeding from his face. I was afraid the worst had happened. Luckily medical staff was there quickly to cut Patrik out of the car,” Østberg wrote on social media.
Østberg and Barth were transported to a hospital in Rome. Further examinations revealed that both had sustained injuries in the accident.
“Patrik has got a broken jaw and a broken hip, and will have to undergo surgery. I’ve been lucky and only broke one rib,” the Norwegian driver explained.
Barth’s family arrived in Rome on Tuesday. The plan is for him to undergo surgery in Sweden, but he cannot fly home yet due to his injuries.
Østberg and Barth have been competing together since the 2022 season. Last year, they finished third in the European Rally Championship.
