Ben Keating has admitted that he is not fully fit as he prepares to return from an elbow injury at this week’s Le Mans 24 Hours, revealing he is still dealing with discomfort after surgery.
The TF Sport driver suffered a mountain bike accident towards the end of March, ruling him out from the opening two rounds of the World Endurance Championship at Imola and Spa.
He spent the last nine weeks recovering from an operation on his elbow, progressing from a full cast to a brace before finally being cleared to return to the cockpit.
The American got back behind the wheel in Sunday’s Le Mans 24 Hours test, completing his first laps aboard the #33 Corvette Z06 GT3.R he is sharing with Nicky Catsburg and Jonny Edgar this season.
While he was able to get up to speed over a single lap, Keating admitted to concerns about his physical condition, particularly during the driver change sequence in pitstops.
Asked how he was feeling on Wednesday ahead of opening practice, Keating told Motorsport.com: “I'm feeling good, but I'm trying to think of what the right word is. Anxious, maybe?
“It's my first race back. My elbow is not 100%. It feels good for driving, but getting in and out is a challenge. Tightening the belts is a challenge.
“I want to be the reason why we win. I don't want to be the reason why we lose. I'm doing everything I can. I feel good, but I have a lot of anticipation about how my elbow will hold up during the 24-hour race.
He added: “I had full surgery nine weeks ago. The doctor said, ‘there's no way you'll be ready’. And on Monday, he said, 'ah, you're not going to hurt it. You can race.'
“I'm cleared to race. But he said, ‘it's not going to feel very good.’ That's a pretty good description. I have confidence that I'm not going to hurt it. But it doesn't feel very comfortable.”
There were still stitches visible on Keating’s right elbow as he appeared in front of the media on Wednesday.
The Corvette driver detailed the extent of his recovery process and explained that he still needs time to regain full strength.
“I was in a complete cast for two weeks,” he said. “Then, I got into a brace. And then I wasn't allowed to lift anything. And then maybe three weeks ago, I was able to do light exercise, trying to stretch it, spending a lot of time stretching.
“But, I would say, it's the same as it is here. I'm still recovering. I will be recovering for six months. It's just really early. And I'm confident that the strength will come. But it's not there yet.”
