France: Le Mans racer Anthony Davidson suffers broken back in horrifying crash (VIDEO)

Toyota Le Mans racer Anthony Davidson has a broken back after his violent crash in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Davidson's Toyota TS030 Hybrid tagged a Ferrari car he was lapping and flipped in mid-air before careering into heavily into a barrier, Britain's Daily Mail reported.

According to initial reports, the 33-year-old ex-Formula One driver escaped serious injury and he was reportedly able to climb from the wreckage of his car, and was walking and talking normally.

However, he reported back pain to the medical crews on the scene and took him to hospital, where checks revealed the full extent of his injuries.

It was there that Davidson wrote on Twitter.

Well that was a big one! Lying in a French hospital with a broken back wasn't what I had in mind at this stage in the race… — Anthony Davidson (@antdavidson) June 16, 2012

Davidson confirmed to autosport.com that he had breaks to his T11 and T12 vertebrae and will remain in hospital until at least Monday.

Davidson is, however, likely to spend months out of racing recovering, according to Australia's Fairfax media.

The AF Corse Ferrari that Davidson clipped also hit the barriers and overturned, but Italian driver Piergiuseppe Perazzini was able to extricate himself, according to Reuters.

Le Mans, whose circuit features a mix of closed public roads and specialist motor racing test track, is the world's oldest sports car endurance race, held annually since 1923 near the French town of Le Mans.