Apparently normal for concussions. No-one knows why he went off though, Seb was behind him and can't explain it. "German Vettel said the crash was unusual. "The speed was slow, maybe 150kph," he said. "Then he turned right into the wall. It looked strange."" http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/31585149
Rumours that there may have been an electric shock, if so It's pretty ****ing disturbing, Honda have had over a year to sort their **** out. Declaring they will be ready for the fight/power of dreams etc. All they have been doing/having is constant problems, and all they will do is let down a massive fan base. I'll eat humble pie if they don't.
A shock would be pretty unlikely whilst in the car. the car bottoming out maybe could have done something. Would be hugely unlikely though.
Alonso unlikely for final test. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117789 " McLaren will decide later this week if Fernando Alonso will drive in the final Formula 1 pre-season test, while the Spaniard continues to recover in hospital following his Barcelona crash. The Spaniard was airlifted to hospital on Sunday for observation after he crashed his McLaren in to the wall at Turn 3 shortly before the lunchtime break on the final day of testing. Barcelona hospital officials elected to keep Alonso in hospital for further observation on Monday. Alonso's manager Luis Garcia Abad showed that there was no major cause for concern about Alonso's condition though when he tweeted a picture of the double world champion giving the thumbs up from his hospital bed. please log in to view this image McLaren issued a statement on Monday confirming that all test results had been positive and that the Spaniard's recovery was going well. "In hospital a thorough and complete analysis of his condition was performed, involving CT scans and MRI scans, all of which were completely normal," said the statement. "In order to provide the privacy and tranquillity required to facilitate a peaceful recuperation, he is being kept in hospital for further observation, and to recover from the effects of the medication that successfully managed his routine sedation yesterday." McLaren added that a decision on whether or not Alonso would test for the team again at Barcelona this week would be made later. MECHANICAL FAILURE RULED OUT The lack of video of Alonso's crash, and the fact he had to be taken to hospital after a fairly innocuous impact, prompted wild conspiracy theories. But McLaren says that its initial investigation suggests the wind was to blame, and it ruled out talk of Alonso being overcome by battery fumes or even being electrocuted. "His car ran wide at the entry to Turn 3 - which is a fast uphill right-hander - allowing it to run onto the Astroturf that lines the outside of the track," said McLaren. "A consequent loss of traction caused a degree of instability, spitting it back towards the inside of the circuit, where it regained traction and struck the wall side-on. "Our findings indicate that the accident was caused by the unpredictably gusty winds at that part of the circuit at that time, and which had affected other drivers similarly (eg, Carlos Sainz Jr). "We can categorically state that there is no evidence that indicates that Fernando's car suffered mechanical failure of any kind." "We can also confirm that absolutely no loss of aerodynamic pressure was recorded, which fact indicates that the car did not suffer any aerodynamic loss, despite the fact that it was subjected to a significant level of g-force." ALONSO CONSCIOUS BEFORE IMPACT McLaren added that the possibility of Alonso being overcome before he hit the wall could be ruled out by the fact he was applying full brake pressure and changing down gears in his attempt to slow the car. please log in to view this image "We can also disclose that no electrical discharge or irregularity of any kind occurred in the car's ERS system, either before, during or after the incident," it added. "That last point refutes the erroneous rumours that have spread recently to the effect that Fernando was rendered unconscious by an electrical fault. That is simply not true. "Our data clearly shows that he was downshifting while applying full brake pressure right up to the moment of the first impact - something that clearly would not have been possible had he been unconscious at the time. "Our data also confirms that Fernando's car struck the inside concrete wall, first with its front-right wheel and then with its rear-right. It was a significant lateral impact, resulting in damage to the front upright and axle. "After the initial impact, the car slid down the wall for about 15 seconds before coming to a halt. All four wheels remained attached to the car, but no damage was sustained by the bodywork or crash structure between the front and rear wheels."
Button will take the first two days and I guess they'll get Magnussen, Vandoorne, or... is Paffett still with Mclaren? Someone like that to take over if Alonso's still not safe to test.
It is a very, very strange accident but i wouldn't read too much into Vettel's account of "he was doing about 150kp/h and just veered off right". Vettel was probably coming off the corner just at the point Alonso was already well into having the accident, after the car had already ran wide onto the astroturf, lost traction, snapped out then regained traction to spit the car towards the inside wall, if he see's it at that last part, it would look exactly like the car just spearing off right at fairly slow speed. What puzzles me is the impact force though, seemingly registered at 30g? McLaren must have built one hell of a strong car considering how intact it is! But it's pretty clear to me Alonso was conscious right before the crash though, if he had speared straight off right as Vettel says and there was no effort to correct, the front right wheel would have been ripped off clean off. The angle of the car going in sideways and the damage to the right rear is all wrong, it shows that there was either some kind of correction or attempt to pull the car left again and away from the wall again,so at absolute worst, the car went in pretty much plum straight in a sideways slide, the exact opposite of spearing off right and absolutely impossible unless the driver had attempted to correct.
Paffet left last year. KMAG is the official reserve I think. Also Mclaren officially blame Whitmarsh for the incident..... I mean the wind. (includes pic of Alonso awake and well ) http://www.wheels24.co.za/FormulaOne/Wind-to-blame-for-Alonsos-crash-McLaren-20150224?
Don't buy it myself, if another experienced driver comments on it being unusual I would take that as more factual than a Press release by the team with a bogus excuse of wind etc.
I wouldn't tbh (as said above). Vettel perhaps (and most likely) didn't even see the start of the accident given it happened on/coming off a long corner, unless he was a few tenths behind him all the way through that corner, all he'll have seen was Alonso spearing off into the wall at slow-ish speed.
There is something going on. Out for the next test and a vagueness on whether he will be fit for the start of the season.
According to Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" Alonso will be released today from the hospilal, and he will travel to his hometown Oviedo to rest. He will not take part of McLaren tests this week on Barcelona. The link to the newspaper (in Spanish): http://www.mundodeportivo.com/motor/f1/20150225/54427616942/alonso-abadonara-hoy-el-hospital.html
Alonso has now finally been discharged (another electrical pun to be had there). http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117816
It will be interesting to see if JB is wrapped in protective suit of bubble wrap or something at the next test?
For me the lack of damage to the car doesnt fit with being kept in hospital, unlikely to test and who knows for the race?
