When the accident happened, it was just less than a week to go to the Hungarian Grand Prix. Time was of the essence, and Rodnick's injury had already set back a lot of the technical progress Jackson had been building towards.
There was no use sugar-coating it—the wrist was bad. A clean fracture to the scaphoid and radius area, sustained when the steering column jolted violently on impact. The swelling alone was enough to prevent proper hand movement, and any pressure or torque on the joint sent sharp pain running up his forearm.
If he forced himself into the cockpit, the team doctors explained that he could risk permanent damage. He wouldn't be able to rotate properly through corners, he wouldn't have the grip strength for high-speed braking, and in a worst-case scenario, might lose full wrist mobility.
Jackson accepted the grim truth. Rodnick's injury was too severe, would need real time to heal, and would have him miss the race in Budapest.
