Alonso did not ‘wake up in 1995’ after crash

McLaren’s F1 driver will take part in the Malaysian GP after recovering from pre-season crash.

Medical staff evacuate McLaren''s Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain to an helicopter after crashing his car during a test session at Catalunya''s racetrack in Montmelo
Alonso was air-lifted to hospital following the crash [Reuters]

Fernando Alonso has confirmed that he never lost consciousness or suffered memory lapses following the pre-season crash that forced him to miss the season-opening race in Australia.

Alonso moved from Ferrari to McLaren at the end of last season but confusion surrounding a winter-testing crash in Barcelona last month left him facing 30 minutes of questions about the incident on his return to the Formula One paddock ahead of this week’s Malaysian Grand Prix.

“Everything was like a normal concussion,” Alonso said, hours after passing tests at the Sepang International Circuit that gave him the green light to mark his return to a team with whom he raced for one campaign in 2007.

I didn't wake up in 1995... I didn't wake up speaking in Italian or any of the states that were reported. I remember the accident and all the things from the following days

by Fernando Alonso, McLaren F1 driver

“I went to the hospital in good condition and there is a time that I don’t remember for about four hours but that was completely normal due to the medication they gave me to go into the helicopter.

“I didn’t wake up in 1995… I didn’t wake up speaking in Italian or any of the states that were reported. I remember the accident and all the things from the following days.”

Cause of crash

The cause of the crash remains something of a mystery to both the driver and his team but the double world champion was certain the blame could be laid upon a steering issue.

“There is nothing clear in the data that we can spot and say ‘it was that’ but we definitely had a steering problem in the middle of turn three,” he added.

“It locked to the right… I approached the wall and applied the brakes at the last moment and downshifted from fifth to third gear but there are still some missing parts on the data we have acquired about what exactly happened.”

Pressed further, Alonso was able to recount the entire crash in minute detail before adding that the incident did not make him fear for his future and that he had no regrets about moving to a team struggling at the back of the field with its new Honda engine.

“I am not afraid. It’s a very normal thing. I felt ready to go to Australia but the doctors said it was too early so we waited for one more race.”

Standings (top-5):

1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 25
2 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 18
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 15
4 Felipe Massa (Williams) 12
5 Felipe Nasr (Sauber) 10

Source: Reuters