Australian Grand Prix boss Ron Walker has revealed that he had to have emergency brain surgery last week following a bicycle accident. The 71-year-old fell off his bike in Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens several weeks ago, receiving broken ribs and concussion in the accident. However, he also suffered a hidden brain injury that only came to light more recently.
Speaking to Australian radio station 3AW, Walker said: "I didn't have any headaches but it came to a head last Saturday evening when I was going to the movies with my wife and I tried to do the button up on the shirt.
"My brain was being ignored by my limbs. I couldn't do my buttons up... Worst of all, I didn't know how to put my tie on."
Medical officials found out that there had been a fluid build-up in Walker's brain, which required an emergency operation.
"They bored a hole in my skull and took the fluid out and I had to lay flat for a number of days," said Walker, who is already up and about and present at Albert Park in the build-up to the Australian Grand Prix. "I was a tick away from a seizure that would have caused all sorts of complications in the brain and some people don't recover."