Lucky escape for Fernando Alonso after McLaren crash

Sport360 staff 10:58 23/02/2015
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  • The Spaniard had managed just 20 laps on another troubled morning for the struggling McLaren-Honda partnership when he crashed into the wall between turns three and four at the Circuit de Catalunya.

    Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso was airlifted to hospital after crashing his McLaren on the final morning of the second pre-season test in Barcelona yesterday. 

    The Spaniard had managed just 20 laps on another troubled morning for the struggling McLaren-Honda partnership when he crashed into the wall between turns three and four at the Circuit de Catalunya. 

    McLaren – who have given no information on what caused the accident – said Alonso left the track at turn three, causing the right-hand side of his car to strike the wall on the inside of the circuit. 

    It is unclear whether it was driver error or something broke on the car. A McLaren statement said: “Fernando was driven to the circuit’s medical centre where the circuit’s doctors gave him first aid. 

    He was conscious and spoke with the doctors. “However, as per usual procedure in such circumstances, he was then airlifted to hospital where he is undergoing precautionary checks.” 

    Alonso’s agent Luis Garcia Abad added that although he was not injured the 33-year-old would remain in hospital under observation for the next 24 to 48 hours.

    His team-mate Jenson Button had been scheduled to take the car over for the afternoon session, but the team decided not to run again. Sebastian Vettel, who replaced Alonso at Ferrari when the Spaniard rejoined McLaren, was right behind him at the time of the incident.

    He said: “The speed was slow – maybe 150kph. Then he turned right into the wall. It looked strange.” The crash brought McLaren’s day to an end to round off a disastrous test that has left them well behind every other team on the grid in terms of mileage in testing, with just 203 laps completed under a month until the first race of the new season. 

    The other Spanish driver on show, Carlos Sainz Junior, also crashed at the same part of the track where Alonso went off, but was able to walk away from a check-up at the medical centre unharmed. 

    Lotus were again fastest as Frenchman Romain Grosjean followed teammate Pastor Maldonado’s example on days one and three in a time of 1min 24.067sec on the supersoft tyres. 

    However, the day arguably belonged to defending world champions Mercedes as Nico Rosberg completed another mammoth 131-lap run and was under three tenths of a second behind Grosjean on the slower medium tyre compound. Daniil Kvyat was third quickest for Red Bull, whilst Vettel was down in seventh fastest during his 76 laps in the Ferrari.

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