Fernando Alonso Survives Horrifying Crash At Formula one Australian Grand Prix
Fernando Alonso has walked away from a two hundred fifty m.p.h. crash at Sunday`s Australian Grand Prix, reports Autosport. Fernando was unhurt, albeit his car was smashed to lumps.
Alonso, driving for McLaren, was involved in an crash on lap seventeen while attempting to pass Esteban Gutierrez. Fernando «clipped the left rear of the Haas at high speed as they reached the braking zone into Turn three and then hit the gravel sideways.»
«The McLaren went into a series of rolls, with clear air inbetween the car and the ground, before hitting the wall hard at the edge of the gravel trap.»
The crowd observed in horror as Fernando Alonso`s car flipped violently along the track, eventually coming to halt against the barriers. Alonso managed to climb out of his mangled car unaided and collapsed onto the ground.
As track marshals ran to help, Alonso was moved a safe distance away. Fernando was later taken to the medical center. After being given the all-clear by doctors, Alonso spoke about the accident after the race.
«Obviously I`m attempting to put everything in place again in my bod. It was a big, big crash. I attempted to take the slipstream of Gutierrez into the braking point, and it was a combination of factors that we ended up with a crash.»
[Photo by Theo Karanikos/AP Photos] Albeit still shaken up after escaping from the crash, Alonso showcased as much concern for the McLaren as himself. Fernando said it was unfortunate that the team is only on «zero points» after the very first race and would very likely have to substitute the car`s engine. Jenson Button, who drives alongside Alonso at McLaren, only managed 14th place.
«It`s disappointing because we embark the championship with zero points and we`ve most likely bruised the power unit so we have to take the 2nd one instantly…»
Alonso takes a moment after his violent exit from the Australian Grand Prix #F1 pic.twitter.com/vH7Ybtdbmt
Despite insisting «I feel good,» Autosport notes that Alonso said that he wasn`t sure where he was after his car stopped somersaulting.
«You are just flying and then you see the sky, the ground, the sky, the ground and you don`t know. You want to stop and it doesn`t stop, it keeps going and going and going. It was fairly scary.»
[Photo by Theo Karanikos/AP Pics] Gutierrez, who drives for American F1 newcomers Haas, was also uninjured after the crash with Alonso – which compelled a restart of the race due to debris on the track. Alonso and Gutierrez later agreed that the crash was the result of a «racing incident,» albeit stewards are investigating.
Crimson flag still out while debris is cleared. Both Alonso & Gutierrez walked away from the incident #AusGP pic.twitter.com/a8YpsiQZTl
In 2015, Fernando Alonso was coerced to miss the Australian Grand Prix due to a head injury. Alonso was involved in a crash in Spain during pre-season testing.
[Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Pictures] Formula one crashes like the one suffered by Alonso are far less likely to cause serious injury or death than a few decades ago. However, the sport remains exceptionally dangerous. The most latest fatality was in July, 2015, when Jules Bianchi died from head injuries sustained in an accident during the two thousand fourteen Japanese Grand Prix.
Albeit there have been disagreements over safety measures – most recently over the «halo» cockpit cell – it is fairly possible that only a few years ago Fernando Alonso wouldn`t have survived a crash of this magnitude.
After the race Alonso posted a message of thanks to McLaren, the FIA, and his fans on Instagram.
A photo posted by Fernando Alonso (@fernandoalo_oficial) on Mar 20, two thousand sixteen at Two:25am PDT
A few laps after the Alonso crash, there was yet more drama when Kimi Raikkonen`s Ferrari caught fire, according to the Guardian. Driving into the pits Raikkonen told his pit team » ‘something`s cracked`… the ‘something` was a giant flame searing centimetres above his bonce…»
LAP 24/57: The drama proceeds
Raikkonen’s race is over – we don’t indeed need to explain why… #AusGP pic.twitter.com/36whr7enPT
The Grand Prix was won by Nico Rosberg of Mercedes, taking his 2nd win at the Albert Park circuit. Current world champ Hamilton took 2nd place after a poor commence left him in sixth place on the very first lap, while Sebastian Vettel finished the podium.