Takuma Sato escaped major injury in today's spectacular Austrian Grand Prix accident but will be detained overnight in Graz's University Hospital for observation.  The 25 year old Japanese driver has suffered soft tissue damage to his right thigh, according to manager Andrew Gilbert-Scott who is present at the hospitality, but does not appear to have broken any bones.  He is said to be in excellent spirits and joking about having a look at his 'telemetry data' from the assorted medical read-outs and monitors being used to assess his condition.

The accident occurred on the 27th lap of the race when Nick Heidfeld's Sauber appeared to suffered a mechanical failure under braking for the hairpin, speared across the track and backwards into the side of the luckless Sato.  The rear crash structure of the Sauber punched a large hole in the side of the Jordan Honda EJ12, but the side impact structure appears to have worked well in dissapating the impact.

Sato was treated at the scene of the accident by the FIA Medical Team headed by Professor Sid Watkins who described the lack of serious injury as 'a miracle'.  The team does not know the full extent of the bruising or other minor injuries, nor how long it will take before Takuma is able to drive again.  A full update will be issued on Monday May 13th.

The EJ12's monocoque.