The former Formula One world champion passed tests after Friday's first free practice in Shanghai
SHANGHAI: Fernando Alonso got the all-clear from medics to
compete in the Chinese Grand Prix on Friday (Apr 15) after recovering
from a horrific crash at the season-opening race last month.
The former Formula One world champion passed tests after
Friday's first free practice in Shanghai, after which the sport's ruling
body the FIA said no further medical checks were needed unless the
Spaniard develops any "abnormal symptoms".
Alonso posted the 12th fastest time in morning practice as he
returned for McLaren after missing the Bahrain race two weeks ago with
fractured ribs.
"As a result of a medical examination undertaken following
Free Practice One... Fernando Alonso is fit to take part in all
remaining sessions this weekend," an FIA statement read.
"However, as with this morning's session, in case of any
abnormal symptoms the driver has been informed that he must stop his car
immediately," it added.
"No further medical checks will be undertaken unless the driver presents any abnormal symptom."
Alonso admitted he was "lucky to be alive" after his car
flipped and went into a terrifying roll in Melbourne at close to 200
miles (320 kilometres) per hour. The 34-year-old, who spent several
nights in hospital, insisted after arriving in Shanghai that he was now
free from pain.
"The pain level is zero," said Alonso, who won back-to-back world titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006.
"I feel 100 per cent. If I wasn't sure I wouldn't fly here."
McLaren reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne took Alonso's place in Bahrain and scored a point on his debut.
Alonso's sickening crash raised renewed fears about driver
safety, even though since Ayrton Senna's death at Imola in 1994, which
prompted tightened security measures, Frenchman Jules Bianchi is the
only F1 driver to have lost his life in a race.
Bianchi died following a freak accident at the Japanese
Grand Prix in 2014 when his Marussia car skidded off the track in
pouring rain and crashed into a recovery tractor clearing wreckage from
Adrian Sutil's stricken Sauber.
Alonso's accident in Australia came a year after a crash during
testing in Spain which ruled him out of last season's opening round.
His latest brush with disaster brought into sharp focus
proposals to install a cockpit "halo" bar designed to further protect
the drivers, although critics argued that it might have been harder for
Alonso to climb out of his car if the device had been in place.
- AFP
Fernando Alonso cleared for F1 China GP return after horror crash
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