2019 UIM World Endurance Champion Tullio Abbate was rushed to hospital on Sunday after a racing accident while competing in the Centomiglia del Lario on Lake Como.

Abbate was treated at the Betulle di Appiano hospital for a fracture of the D12 vertebra, in the middle of his back.

He will have to stay motionless for 10 days, and then for the next 60 days he will have to keep his movements to a minimum and wear a bodice in order for the injury to heal.

Abbate’s World Championship was won whilst driving for the Abu Dhabi team with Shaun Torrente, Rashed Al Qemzi and Rashed Al Tayer with races in Rouen and Augustów Photo: Chris Davies

His boat turned over in spectacular fashion and then was hampered by his HANS device as he exited the cockpit before he was picked up by the safety team.

Abbate was racing in a catamaran that was built and designed in 1996 by his family’s boat building business, Tullio Abbate, which is based nearby, it was powered by a Lamborghini v12 SCAM motor.

Additional reporting by Massimo Ciuchi