Alonso Crash: McLaren F1 Dismisses Rumors and Provides Its Version of Events

The day after Fernando Alonso’s accident during the last day of testing in Barcelona, McLaren sought to reassure observers about the health condition of its driver and to provide initial explanations regarding the Spanish driver’s crash.

« We are happy to confirm that, having been involved in an on-track incident […], Fernando Alonso is recovering quickly in the hospital and is talking with his family, friends, and hospital staff, » begins the statement published on the McLaren website.

« He was taken from the accident scene to the circuit’s medical center, where he received first aid and, as the procedure requires, he was sedated for evacuation by helicopter. At the hospital, a full assessment of his condition was conducted, including a CT scan and an MRI, which revealed nothing abnormal. »

« In order to ensure the privacy and tranquility required to facilitate a peaceful recovery, he is being kept at the hospital for further observations and to recover from the effects of the medication which led to his routine sedation yesterday. We aim to give him every opportunity to make a rapid and complete recovery, and we will assess whether he is fit to participate in the next testing session in Barcelona [from February 26 to March 1, Editor’s Note].

Shortly before the release of this statement, Fernando Alonso’s agent, Luis Garcia Abad, posted a photo on Twitter of the double world champion on his hospital bed, looking drawn but smiling.

Hora de comer! Muchas gracias por vuestro apoyo! Lunch time! Thank you for your support! pic.twitter.com/v6cUCfKXNL

— Luis Garcia Abad (@lsgrcbd) 23 Février 2015

In the rest of the statement, the team provides an explanation of the accident based on its own data and observations, dismissing several theories in passing, including the one about fainting that had been, wrongly, mentioned by some media: « Over the past 24 hours, we have conducted a detailed analysis of the damage to Fernando’s car and the telemetry to fully understand the cause, or causes, of his accident. Even at this early stage, we have been able to reach some solid conclusions. »

« His car went wide at the entrance of turn 3 – a fast uphill right-hander – running over the Astroturf lining the track. A significant loss of traction caused instability, directing it towards the inside of the track, where it regained traction and crashed into the inner wall. Our findings indicate that the accident was caused by the violent and unpredictable gusts of wind at that part of the track at that time, which affected other drivers in the same way (Carlos Sainz Jr, for example). »

« We can categorically confirm that there is no evidence indicating that Fernando’s car suffered from any kind of mechanical problem. We can also confirm that absolutely no aerodynamic pressure loss was recorded, with the facts showing that the car did not experience any aerodynamic loss, despite being subjected to a significant level of g-force. Finally, we can also conclude that no electrical discharge or irregularity of any kind affected the ERS system, whether before, during, or after the accident. »

« The last point refutes the erroneous rumors that have been spread recently regarding the claim that Fernando had been rendered unconscious due to an electrical fault. This is simply not true. Our data clearly show that he was downshifting while braking hard at the time of the first impact – something that clearly would not have been possible if he had been unconscious at that moment. »

« Our data also confirm that Fernando’s car first hit the concrete wall with its front right wheel and then with the rear right. It was a significant side impact, which damaged the front steering. After the initial impact, the car slid against the wall for 15 seconds before stopping. All four wheels remained attached to the car, but no damage was found on the bodywork or the shock-absorbing structure between the front and rear wheels. »

« We wish Fernando a speedy recovery. »