Alonso recovering after crash
February 24, 2015
Two-time Formula One World champion Fernando Alonso is making a "solid recovery" from a shocking crash in testing, his McLaren team said Monday, blaming the accident on "gusty winds."
The 33-year-old Spaniard crashed into a wall after driving 20 laps at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya on Sunday and was airlifted to hospital under sedation.
Alonso suffered concussion but the team said scans on the double-world champion were "completely normal." Alonso would be kept in hospital, McLaren added, without giving details of his injuries or how long he would remain there.
His manager Luis Garcia Abad put up a picture of a smiling Alonso sitting up in bed on Twitter. "He will remain here for the time being, we need to be sure everything is right," the manager told reporters at the hospital.
McLaren-Honda released a team statement, saying "Fernando Alonso is making a solid recovery in hospital, and is chatting to family, friends and hospital staff."
"A thorough and complete analysis of his condition was performed, involving CT scans and MRI scans, all of which were completely normal," the team said.
McLaren-Honda blamed strong winds on the track for the accident. The car initially hit trouble after it went onto the artificial turf that lines the edge of the track.
"Our findings indicate that the accident was caused by the unpredictably gusty winds at that part of the circuit at that time, which had affected other drivers," said the statement.
apc/jh (AFP, AP)