Imanuel Schramm with a fractured pelvis: “They screwed a monster screw into my back”

We recall with horror the images from Noordvolde on 18 July: the duo Imanuel Schramm and Lene Laise were unable to avoid a sidecar combination that had veered across their path; they collided with it and their motorbike overturned over the sidecar wheel. Lene hit her head on the track and was immediately knocked unconscious; a following sidecar team crashed into Schramm’s machine. After initial fears of the worst and several hours in an induced coma, the young woman from the Palatinate made a swift recovery; three weeks later, the pair were back on the track in Bad Hersfeld.

Knocked off the outside lane

The next accident occurred there on 8 August: in the first bend, a domino effect occurred from the inside to the outside, resulting in Schramm and Laise being knocked off the outside lane. On Tuesday, Schramm underwent surgery at Bad Hersfeld Hospital. “My pelvis is fractured at the front and back,” the Swabian explained in an interview with SPEEDWEEK.com. “At the front, I’ve now had a caesarean-style incision and a plate with four screws has been inserted; at the back, they’ve screwed in a monster screw. The doctors told me the fractures were clean. It’s a serious and extremely painful injury; the operation lasted over two hours. The prognosis is that I’ll only be allowed to put 20 kilograms of weight on my left leg for the next six weeks, because the left side of my pelvis is broken.”

Sturz von Imanuel Schramm und Lene Laise

Foto: BSA

Sturz von Imanuel Schramm und Lene Laise

Foto: BSA

Sturz von Imanuel Schramm und Lene Laise

Foto: BSA

Sturz von Imanuel Schramm und Lene Laise

Foto: BSA

Sturz von Imanuel Schramm und Lene Laise

© BSA

A 100-year-old is in better shape than that.

Imanuel Schramm

Schramm took his first tentative steps on Wednesday, 12 August; thanks to the strong medication, pain wasn’t an issue. However, with the surgical scars, bruises, swelling and contusions in the pelvic area, the pain will return. Nevertheless, the new owner of the trade journal *Bahnsport aktuell* will be leaving hospital on Friday and will be driven home by his passenger to Wellmutsweiler near Tettnang on Lake Constance. “Then I’ve got to be at home and get everything ready for *Bahnsport*,” grinned Immel. “Otherwise we won’t get the paper out on time. But nobody can imagine what I look like walking around: a 100-year-old would look better.”

At home, Schramm has to go for regular check-ups on his wound; the next steps involve having his stitches removed, X-rays and physiotherapy, so that he can learn to walk properly again. After about a year, the plate at the front of his pelvis can be removed, whilst the screw at the back will remain in place.

Lene Laise: Fractured humeral head

Passenger Lene, who in hindsight was incredibly lucky in her crash in the Netherlands, fell again, landing on her head and shoulder; she fractured the head of her left humerus. “Although we don’t know whether that happened in Noordvolde or just now,” remarked Schramm. “She had an MRI scan on Monday; the fracture is clean. Next week she has to see her orthopaedic surgeon, who will X-ray her again to see if anything has shifted. If it’s fine, then it’ll stay that way. If not, then she’ll need an operation.”

After serious injuries, other riders ask themselves whether they want to carry on. For Schramm, who’s already past 50 and has a lot on his plate professionally with three companies, the matter is clear. With a twinkle in his eye, he said: “I’ve got a young co-driver, so it’s out of the question – we’ll definitely carry on racing. You’ve got to think of the younger generation too. In three weeks, we’ve gone through four helmets and a suit – that’s quite a feat.”

The duo can write off the European Championship final in Berghaupten at the end of August, as well as Lene’s home race in Zweibrücken at the start of September – and probably the sand track race in Pfarrkirchen that same month too. The speedway race in Olching is on the calendar for early October – that sounds like a realistic date for a comeback.

Schnappschuss aus dem Krankenhaus: Lene Laise (li.) und Imanuel Schramm

Foto: BSA