Leeroy Poulter, who recently secured the South African National Rally title, has undergone surgery to remove an anomalous growth from the right side of his brain.
According to Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, Poulter – who also holds the Cross Country title – is “recovering well” after the surgery.
The surgery was declared “a complete success” by the 35-year-old’s surgeon, with Toyota Gazoo Racing SA saying there is no doubt that he will make “a full recovery”.
“We’re very happy to report that Leeroy is doing extremely well after the operation,” said his wife, Michela. “He’s been up out of bed and walking around, and his recovery is going better than expected.”
Poulter had been struggling with headaches for the past three weeks, and his condition worsened shortly after he completed the recent Toyota Cape Dealer Rally.
“A scan revealed that there was a cyst causing the symptoms, but the doctors were confident of finding a way to fully excise the growth,” Michela explained.
The cyst was completely removed during the surgery, and Toyota says early indications are that it was not malignant.
“As things stand, Poulter will be returning home soon, and is looking forward to getting back into a race car as soon as he is able to,” Toyota said in a statement.
Poulter is due to compete in the 2017 edition of the Dakar Rally in the new Toyota Hilux Evo.
