Several spectators were injured at the Rally of Great Britain today when the Ford Focus of Spain's Carlos Sainz crashed, race organisers have confirmed.
Sainz' car left the road during the 11th special stage in the Brechfa Forest area in South Wales and injured 15 fans, according to early information from race officials.
Three of the fans were transported to hospital by ambulance while two were airlifted by helicopter. No further details were immediately available.
Two-time world champion Sainz was unhurt in the accident and was able to continue although the stage was scrapped by officials. The 12th stage has also been cancelled.
A Ford spokesman said: ''We know that Carlos went off the road and he hit some spectators, we do not know how many.
"He was told to continue. The stage has been cancelled and ambulances are on their way."
Sainz, who was in fourth place at the time, got to the end of the 13.53-mile stage but had lost four minutes to his rivals.
Finland's Marcus Gronholm currently leads in his Peugeot by 85 seconds from Subaru's Richard Burns, who needs to finish in the top four tomorrow to become the first Englishman to win the rally title.
The cancellation of the next stage leaves just one more stage this evening, a 1.5-mile superspecial in Cardiff Bay.