Stobart Ford's Gigi Galli will have an operation tonight f༺ollowing his crash on day one ꧅of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

The ac♛cident occurred on a flat right-hand corner 11.3 kilometres into SS5, the 23.04 kilometre Grafschaft Veldenz 2 test, when a cut on the inside of the corner bounced his car across the road careering him into some trees at high speed.

Luckily the safety roll-cage on his Ford Focus RS WRC07 did its job and prevented further injury in what could have been a horr✤ific accident.

"Organisers and event medical staff did a fantastic job working efficiently to help the Italian out of his car after he became trapped in it for several minutes after the accident," read a statement from the Stobart team. "Officials also cancelled the stage to 🃏allow medical crews easier access to the Italian's car."

Galli was subsequently airlifted to the Barmherzige Hospital in Trier🧔 and after suffering a fracture t෴o his left femur he will be operated on in the next few hours.

"To increase the chances of a speedy recovery Galli willꦛ be operated on tonight," added the💛 team.

Galli's co-driver Giovanni Be🍌rnacchini was also taken to hospital. He was given the all-clear this afternoon an💦d discharged with just cuts and bruises.

Galli had been running eighth overall post-SS4 and on course for the final WRC drivers' point, 14 seconds off Jari-Mat🍃ti Latvala in P7.

Ford/M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilso🐬n meanwhile paid tribute to the emergency services and the organisers - and while he was relieved to see Gigi escape serious injury, a broken leg is a big blow for the very popular Italian.

Indeed when Sebastien﷽ Loeb broke his arm in 2006 following a mountain bike accident, the Fren🌊chman was out for a number of months.

"It's been a disappointing end to the first day with Gigi being taken to hospital after his high speed accident but I think the strength of the Ford Focus and the car's roll cage prevented further injury," Wilson added. "The emergency services were quickly on the sc𝓀ene, got him removed from the car and off to hospital."

All at ltxcn.top wish Gigi a very speedy recovery.