LONDON: Female Formula One test driver Maria de Villota was conscious in a hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries in a collision with a team vehicle during a testing session at an airfield in England yesterday.
De Villota’s team, Marussia F1, said her car hit the racing outfit’s support truck at the end of her first run at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire, north of London, at 0815 GMT.
It was the first time the 32-year-old Spanish driver, who joined the Russian-owned team this season, tested the MR-01 car.
“Since Maria’s arrival at the hospital ... this morning, she has been receiving the best medical attention possible at the hospital,” Marussia said in a statement. “Maria is conscious and medical assessments are ongoing. The team will await the outcome of these assessments before providing further comment.
“The team’s first priority at this time is Maria and her family.”
De Villota had been taken by ambulance to the major trauma center following what police called “a low-speed accident,” where the test driver apparently crashed into the stationary team vehicle as she came to the end of a run at the straight-line test session.
An ambulance spokesman said De Villota’s injuries were life-threatening and she was treated by paramedics at the scene before being moved to the nearby Addenbrookes Hospital.
De Villota is the daughter of former F1 driver Emilio de Villota and joined Marussia as a test driver in March, becoming the sport’s first full-time female driver since Italian Giovanna Amati with the Brabham team in 1992.
De Villota had previously tested for Renault and had racing experience in Spanish F3 and the Daytona 24-Hour race.
Fellow drivers and former world champions Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso expressed sympathy and support for De Villota in messages on Twitter.
Ferrari driver Alonso, the current F1 drivers’ standings leader and a Spanish compatriot, tweeted: “I just got home and found out (about) Maria’s accident, we called the family and hopefully we will know more soon ! All my energy with you!“
McLaren’s Button wrote: “Terrible accident For Maria de Villota, Marussia F1 team test driver. My thoughts are with Maria and her family at this very difficult time.”
Female F1 test driver seriously injured in crash
Female F1 test driver seriously injured in crash
Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder in rout of Cavaliers
- Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point haul led the way, with center Chet Holmgren providing offensive support with 28 points and Luguentz Dort adding 18 points
Los Angeles: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder returned to winning ways with a 136-104 pummeling of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.
Two days after suffering an upset defeat by Miami on Saturday, the NBA champions ensured there would be no repeat against Cleveland as the league marked the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday with a packed slate of fixtures.
Apart from a brief spell at the start of the first quarter, Oklahoma City led throughout, building up a double-digit lead before accelerating away with a 45-point fourth quarter.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point haul led the way, with center Chet Holmgren providing offensive support with 28 points and Luguentz Dort adding 18 points.
Isaiah Joe chipped in with 16 points from the bench while Aaron Wiggins finished with 12 as five Thunder players recorded double figures en route to a victory that sees Oklahoma City improve to 36-8 at the top of the Western Conference.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 19 points while four Cavs players — Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson and De’Andre Hunter — all finished with 16 points apiece.
In Monday’s other early game, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 21 points helped the Milwaukee Bucks hold off a late rally in a 112-110 road win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Milwaukee opened a 23-point lead midway through the third quarter but a stubborn Atlanta line-up chipped away at that advantage and grabbed a slender one-point lead with just over a minute remaining before the Bucks reasserted themselves to dig out victory.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta’s scoring with 32 points off the bench including seven three-pointers, with Jalen Johnson finishing with 28 points for the home side.
