F1: Following Appendix Surgery, Albon Required Ventilator Care

September 15, 2022 / By Zunair Tahir / Automotive News

Team’s statement on Formula One According to Williams, respiratory failure was caused by anesthetic problems.

LONDON: Following complications from surgery on his appendix, Alex Albon, a Formula One driver for Williams, experienced “respiratory failure” and was put on a ventilator.

On Saturday morning, appendicitis caused Albon, 26, to be disqualified from the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He was then taken to the adjacent San Gerardo Hospital for treatment.

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The Thai driver underwent surgery, but thereafter he needed help breathing and was sent to intensive care.

Albon was “taken from mechanical ventilation” on Sunday, according to Williams, and is anticipated to stay in the hospital on Monday.

According to a statement from the British team, Alex experienced unanticipated post-operative anaesthesia problems after surgery, which caused respiratory failure, a known but rare condition. He underwent a second intubation and was then sent to critical care for assistance.

He made tremendous improvement over night, and yesterday morning he was able to be taken off of artificial ventilation. He has since been moved to a normal ward, and he will likely go home tomorrow.

Due to his mother Kankamol’s Thai citizenship, London-born Albon participated in practise on Friday in Monza.

However, he became ill early on Saturday and was replaced by the team’s backup driver Nyck de Vries, who placed ninth and earned points in his Formula One debut.

After being released by Red Bull, Albon spent the previous season on the sidelines.

But since moving to Williams, he has consistently excelled, earning his first point for the British team in the Australian Grand Prix in April and going on to finish in the top 10 twice more, in Miami and Belgium.