Fernando Alonso will miss the Australian GP following his crash at Barcelona | McLaren Mercedes News | Formula 1 Teams | Sky Sports
Fernando Alonso will miss the Australian GP following his crash at Barcelona
Doctors advise Spaniard to 'minimise chances of suffering another concussion'; Kevin Magnussen to stand in for two-time champ alongside Jenson Button
Fernando Alonso will miss the Australian GP following his crash at Barcelona
Doctors advise Spaniard to 'minimise chances of suffering another concussion'; Kevin Magnussen to stand in for two-time champ alongside Jenson Button
McLaren’s Fernando Alonso will miss the Australian Grand Prix following his crash during the second pre-season test in Barcelona.
Kevin Magnussen, who Alonso has replaced for the 2015 season, will partner Jenson Button in Melbourne.
Alonso has been ruled out on medical advice but McLaren remain confident that the two-time world champion will return for the Malaysia GP at the end of March.
In a statement, the team confirmed doctors had advised Alonso not to drive in the season-opening race ‘to minimise the chances of second impact syndrome, as is normal medical procedure when treating athletes after concussions’.
However, according to McLaren, Alonso's doctors have detected 'no evidence whatsoever of any injury' and permitted the 33-year-old to resume training.
Alonso was rendered unconscious during his accident at the Circuit de Catalunya on February 22 when he lost control of his MP4-30 car and struck the track wall at high speed.
McLaren later attributed the accident to an unpredictable 'gust of wind'.
Fernando Alonso crashes during testing at Barcelona
Magnussen drove the MP4-30 for the first time when he deputised for Alonso on Day Three of the final pre-season test at the Circuit de Catalyuna. Speaking on Saturday after 39 laps in the car, the Dane admitted it would be tough to step in for Melbourne.
“It would be difficult because I don’t really have my own team and set of engineers to talk to all winter and have kind of been on the sideline a little bit," Magnussen explained.
"I’ve obviously followed everything that was going on, but it is different when you have your own team and can go there every day and work with them. It would be difficult, but if I have to I will be happy to do it.”
McLaren statement in full:
'Having performed an exhaustive series of tests and scans – some of them as recently as yesterday evening – McLaren-Honda driver Fernando Alonso’s doctors have informed him that they find him asymptomatic of any medical issue; that they see no evidence whatsoever of any injury; and that they therefore describe him as entirely healthy from neurological and cardiac perspectives alike.
'However, Fernando’s doctors have recommended to him that, following the concussion he sustained in a testing accident at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on February 22nd, for the time being he should seek to limit as far as is possible any environmental risk factors that could potentially result in his sustaining another concussion so soon after his previous one, so as to minimise the chances of second impact syndrome, as is normal medical procedure when treating athletes after concussions.
Fernando Alonso receives medical assistance after his accident
'In order to limit those environmental risk factors, specifically, his doctors have advised that he should not compete in the imminent Australian Grand Prix meeting, which will take place on March 13th, 14th and 15th.
'Fernando has understood and accepted that advice, and the two McLaren-Honda cars will therefore be driven in Australia by Fernando’s team-mate Jenson Button and the team’s test and reserve driver Kevin Magnussen.
'Fernando’s doctors acknowledge that he feels fit and well, and that he regards himself as ready to race, and, that being the case, they are comfortable with the fact that he has already recommenced physical training, with a view to preparing for a return to the cockpit of his McLaren-Honda car for the Malaysian Grand Prix meeting on March 27th, 28th and 29th. Indeed, his doctors are supportive of that ambition, satisfied as they are that he sustained no damage whatsoever during his testing accident on February 22nd.
'All at McLaren-Honda fully support Fernando’s decision in respect of his doctors’ advice.'
