Friday, 2 October, LIUZHOU (China): Twenty four hours after the accident that cut short his Grand Prix of China, 27-year-old Erik Stark was back in the paddock looking somewhat battered but in good spirits.

Stark's qualifying session [yesterday] came to a sudden stop with a big impact crash and the youngster from Sweden taken to hospital for immediate assessment and a subsequent operation to fix two badly damaged extension tendons on his left hand. A rigorous examination, MRI scans and x-rays revealed no other injuries. "Actually I feel quite good but it should feel worse. I have some pain in my hand, my eye is quite swollen so I can't see too clearly but the rest of the body feels quite ok."

Asked about the incident he said he had very little recollection about what happened. "I just remember some small things, the boat lifting off a wave then the next thing I remember is Osprey [Rescue] trying to get me out as I was stuck in the boat. The next thing I was waking up in hospital."

The Team Emirates driver, with two podiums under his belt already this season and just nine points of the championship points' leader, is already looking ahead to his return to the cockpit. "The doctors say it will be about four weeks before the plaster comes off and then it is hopefully a short recovery. I have a race in November so we will see how the hand is then but I aim to be 100% fit for Abu Dhabi."

"These things happen all the time. You know you just have to focus on getting back in the boat as soon as possible."