Perez suffers concussion and sprained thigh

Sergio Perez escaped serious injury in his horrific Monaco qualifying accident, Sauber have revealed

The Mexican rookie, on a hot lap, crashed heavily with three minutes remaining in qualifying bringing out the red flags.

The Monte Carlo medics spent almost half an hour assisting the driver before he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

Initial reports were that Perez was "conscious and talking" to the medical staff while Sauber have now revealed that he has suffered a concussion and a sprained thigh.

"It was with great relief the Sauber F1 Team received the news that Sergio Perez has no serious injuries after his heavy accident in the closing minutes of the final part of qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix," Sauber said in a statement.

"Shortly before 15:00 hrs he had crashed into the barrier after the fast tunnel section of the circuit.

"The 21-year-old Mexican was taken to the Hospital Princess Grace in Monaco from where the team received further information at 16:25 hrs.

"The doctors said Perez had suffered concussion and a sprained thigh, but no broken bones and, following a scan, they could find no further injuries.

"The reason for the accident will be investigated and the team will update the media as soon as it has any further information."

His injuries, though, mean Perez is unlikely to line-up on the starting grid for Sunday's 78-lap Monaco Grand Prix.

Source: Planet-F1

Button: More needs to be done in Monaco

Jenson Button says Formula One still needs to improve the safety barriers in Monte Carlo after Sergio Perez crashed heavily in qualifying

Perez's accident was similar to that Button had in 2003 which resulted in the Brit having to miss the Monaco race. At present, it looks like Perez will suffer the same fate as the Sauber rookie has a concussion and a sprained thigh.

However, that's a marked improvement on what happened in 1994 when Karl Wendlinger hit the divide and spent weeks in a coma.

"I think the cars have improved dramatically with safety since Karl Wendlinger's accident and the barrier has been moved back since my accident," said Button.

"But there are some areas - and this is the main one - where we want it to be safer so that we can come here and enjoy the racing.

It is a tricky corner and it's difficult to know what it (the solution) is - but I think we need to look further on what we can do with the run-off there.

"Motor racing is dangerous and it says it on the passes, (but) there is always more we can do. We need to keep tweaking some areas, sit down and really improve for the future."

Button's comments was echoed by Mark Webber, with the Red Bull driver saying there is always more that can be done to improve safety.

"It has always been bumpy there under the brakes and every year the cars we have are a bit different aerodynamically," said the Aussie.

"And in terms of safety, it's probably an area we need to look at and improve on, especially after JB and also Karl Wendlinger in the mid 1990s.

"There is a bump there, but it is just that if you have a problem with the rear, the chance to recover is very low. We saw Vitaly (Petrov) and he went straight down.

"We were also lucky they pulled the sleeping policeman up after this morning because he [Perez] could have had a nastier accident.

"We need to keep learning and work hard with the FIA with the drivers and help out the guys - we are the ones in the cockpit so it's nice to improve if we can."

Source: Planet-F1

Vettel: A bit more difficult but not much

Sebastian Vettel is adamant his accident on Friday morning will not hurt his chances of winning the Turkish Grand Prix

With two race wins and a second-placed finish to his name, the defending World Champion is sitting at the top of the standings heading into Sunday's grand prix.

However, he blotted his good record for this campaign when he crashed his RB7, dubbed 'Kinky Kylie', in Friday's opening practice at the Istanbul Park.

Venturing out for his first shot at a lap time, Vettel ran wide at the exit of Turn 8, sending him spinning across the track before slamming hard into the barriers.

The German's car was badly damaged, forcing him to sit out Friday's second session.

However, Vettel insists it won't put too much of a spanner in the works as he bids for his first Turkish GP win.

"Unfortunately we couldn't get the car ready in time, I'm sorry for the guys," the defending World Champion said.

"It makes it a bit more difficult no doubt, but I don't think it will be a big problem. We know the track quite well from the last years. In the end it was only one afternoon we had in the dry. Tomorrow I think it will be dry.

"We'll see. I'm still confident for tomorrow. Everything is open. It looks fairly close, this afternoon I had a bit more time to watch the times than usually. I think it will be quite exciting tomorrow."

The German has already admitted the accident was a driver error but instead of hiding away in his team's motorhome, he spent Friday afternoon with his mechanics in the garage.

"It was only fair," he said. "Obviously I apologised, because it was not my intention to damage the car. But this is racing, this can happen. The most important thing is that we are still here.

"Of course this means a lot of work for the mechanics now, but it's only fair to show them that I am with them, because if I'm struggling or I have a problem they are with me as well."

Source: Planet-F1

Kubica undergoes nine hours of surgery

Formula One star Robert Kubica underwent nine hours of surgery on his foot and arm on Friday

Kubica was badly injured in a crash during the Ronde di Andora rally in Liguria on Sunday.

He was airlifted to hospital and underwent seven hours of surgery to save the functionality of his hand.

And a new operation to rebuild his foot, shoulder and the inner part of his elbow on Friday lasted even longer.

"We finished the second surgical intervention on his upper arm, which was already compromised in a previous accident," said orthopaedic surgeon Dr Francesco Lanza.

"We gave him a bone graft and inserted a plate. We operated on the inner part of the upper arm but we still have to operate on the outer part."

Kubica will return to intensive care for two days.

Dr Igor Rossello, who operated on the Pole's hand, said it had shown no bad reaction to the second operation.

"Robert's hand reacted well to this phase, the blood circulation has been restored and it's not swollen," he said.

Earlier on Friday, Kubica gave his first interview since Sunday's accident, speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The fingers work, I can feel them. My arm too. But they still need to operate on me and only after that will we know," he said.

"I don't have much pain but I'm sedated. After the last operation, the countdown to my return to the track will begin."

The Lotus Renault GP driver was racing a Skoda Fabia in the Italian rally when he lost control at high speed on a bend, crashing into a guard rail and ending up in a church wall.

His co-driver, Jacub Gerber, emerged from the wreck unhurt but Kubica remained inside until emergency services removed him from the wreckage and transferred him to Santa Corona hospital in Pietra Ligure.

Source: Channelnewsasia
Courtesy: momo

Kimi Räikkönen crashes into snow bank at WRC Rally Sweden 2011

Source: Amjayes

Agent confident over Kubica surgery

Robert Kubica is expected to make a full recovery after he was airlifted to hospital following a high-speed crash in a rally event in Italy on Sunday morning.

Kubica had to be cut from the Skoda Fabia he was driving after his car crashed into a wall during the Rally Ronde di Andora. His co-driver, Jacub Gerber, walked away unscathed.

His Lotus Renault GP team confirmed that Kubica suffered "multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand" in the incident, and he underwent surgery at the Santa Corona Hospital near Genoa on Sunday afternoon.

Kubica's agent, Daniele Morelli, is confident his client will be able to return to action.

"The surgeons are trying to restore the functions of his right hand," Morelli said. "They have already revascularized the limb and repaired the bone structure.

"Now they have to think about the muscular functions but Robert has strong character and he will make it."

Fernando Alonso voiced his support for the Renault driver, who is expected to miss the start of the season which begins in Bahrain next month.

"Let's all support Robert Kubica, who suffered an accident today. Besides a great driver, he is a great person," Alonso wrote on his Twitter page.

"I'm thinking of Robert, wish him all the best and hope to see him soon on the track and especially off-track as a friend," Timo Glock said, while Williams' Rubens Barrichello Tweeted: "I would like to ask you for your best wishes to Kubica. He is being operated on right now. We all like him and he deserves all the best."

Source: ESPNF1

Kubica having surgery after rally crash

Robert Kubica is undergoing surgery in Italy, it has emerged.

The Pole was seriously injured in a rally crash on Sunday and is reported to have leg, hand and internal injuries.

His F1 team, Lotus-sponsored Renault, confirmed that Kubica has "multiple fractures to his right arm, leg and hand".

Renault also confirmed that surgery is currently underway.

And the ANSA news agency said Igor Rossello, a hand specialist, will perform the surgery on one of the Renault F1 driver’s hands.

A detailed medical bulletin has therefore been delayed.

"All assessments have yet to be made," said official Roberto Carrozzino. "An amputation is not a decision that is made so rapidly. I do not confirm or deny this report."

Photographs of the crashed car show severe frontal damage, and French sports channel Eurosport said the 26-year-old may also be suffering a damaged hip and multiple other injuries.

Renault’s reserve drivers are Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean. Daniel Morelli, Robert’s manager, will be available for the press in front of the hospital emergency entrance at 16h30 CET.

Source: Nextgen Auto

Video: Robert Kubica car crash at Andora Rally 2011

Source: ivg.it

NEW: MORE PICTURES OF KUBICA HIMSELF ! Rally Andora 2011

Kubica 'seriously injured' in rally crash

Robert Kubica has been seriously injured in a rallying accident

Preliminary reports claim that the Renault driver has suffered 'several fractures' after overturning his Skoda Fabia when he left the road at high speed and crashed into a wall on the opening stage.

His co-driver, Jacub Gerber, reportedly emerged from the wreck unhurt but Kubica had to be helped from the car.

The Pole, who was taking part in the Super2000 category of the Rally Ronde di Andora, was then flown to hospital, having suffered 'several fractures.'

Initial reports suggest he has broken one, if not both, of his wrists.

Source: Planet-F1

Fisichella involved in traffic crash in Italy

Giancarlo Fisichella has this week been involved in a minor traffic crash.

The 3-time grand prix winner and now a Ferrari test driver rear-ended a small car driven by a 52-year-old woman in Campagnano, north of Rome, according to Italian media reports.

Fisichella, 38, was driving a Ferrari.

The driver of the car he hit was taken to hospital and discharged shortly afterwards.

Fisichella reportedly told the traffic police - the Polstrada - that he came across a long queue of traffic caused by road works and was not able to stop in time.

In 2005, when Fisichella was caught doing 148kph in a 60kph zone in Rome, he explained to police that he was rushing to his child who had a high fever.

Source: Nextgen

F1 2007 world champion Kimi Räikkönen takes eighth place in Crash.net's 2010 top ten World Rally drivers

Crash.net's World Rally top ten: 8th

8 – Kimi Räikkönen

Many people might have expected more from Kimi Raikkonen this year, but those that did have little understanding of just how big a challenge the Finn faced switching from F1 to the World Rally Championship.

The difference between the two is night and day - and when the former Ferrari and McLaren man started his new adventure he had only done a handful of rallies and only one with the Citroen C4 WRC.

Despite that though, he scored on only his third outing in the 2010 World Rally Championship, when he was eighth in Jordan.

He then followed that up with a fifth in Turkey – what would turn out to be his best result of the season – and a tenth in Portugal, a very solid three-event run.

While he would only take two more points finishes - with a seventh in Germany, including his very first stage win, albeit on the 4.37 km event ending super special and an eighth in GB, which he admitted was probably the toughest round of the season, he didn't disgrace himself.

Yes, he did have a number of offs and failed to finish in Mexico, Japan and France and his over-exuberance got the better of him in Spain, when he binned it in the pre-event shakedown. But at least that showed he was really going for it and if he does continue in 2011, he should be able to put this year's experience to good use.

“This has definitely been the most challenging year of my career and Britain was one of the most difficult rallies I competed on, mostly because of the changing grip all the time,” Kimi said after the finale in Wales. “Like everything else, this has been a completely new experience for me.

“Looking back on 2010, this season has been more or less as I expected it to be: we've made a few mistakes but we've also learned a lot.

“Generally speaking I'm happy with the progress we've made... and I've had a lot of fun as well, so I'm very grateful to Red Bull and Citroen Racing for all the opportunities that we've enjoyed this year."

Statistics – Kimi Räikkönen:

Team: Citroën Junior Team
Car: Citroën C4 WRC

Championship position: 10th
Points: 25

Events: 12 (out of 13)*
Victories: 0
Podiums: 0
Stages wins: 1
Best result: 5th (Turkey)
Points finishes: 5

* Did not start in Spain following a crash in the pre-event shakedown

Crash.net's Top 10 World Rally drivers' of 2010:
8. Kimi Raikkonen
9. Armindo Araujo (Wild Card)
10. Xavier Pons (Wild Card)

Honourable mention: Aaron Burkart (for winning the J-WRC – just!)

What do you think of Crash.net's Top 10 World Rally drivers' for 2010? Why not post a comment now and give us your thoughts.

Also look out for our poll coming soon where you can vote on who you think was the best in 2010...

Source: Crash.net

Interlagos improves F1 safety after fatal crash

Organisers of the Brazilian Grand Prix have moved to improve the safety at one of the most dangerous stretches of track on the F1 calendar.

Three years ago, Brazilian stock car driver Rafael Sperafico died after striking the tyre barriers on the exit of the fast right-hand kink before the pitlane entry at Interlagos.

He died instantly when the car bounced out of the barriers into the path of a competitor.

Globo Esporte reports that, ahead of the penultimate round of F1's 2010 championship, organisers have replaced the offending tyre barrier with a 225 metre stretch of 'softwall'.

The 'softwall' concept - a combination of foam mounted behind hollow metal barriers - is intended to absorb the impact of an accident without 'grabbing' the car and spearing it back onto the track.

"It's a barrier that absorbs the impact," said circuit engineer Luis Ernesto Morales.

"It is a dangerous point of the circuit, with the wall very close," he added.

Source: Motorsport.com

More videos of the Kimi Räikkönen Crash at Rally Spain 2010

Source: YouTube

Kimi Räikkönen Crash at Rally RACC Spain 2010

Source: WRC

Q&A with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton

On Friday Lewis Hamilton’s preparations for the Japanese race didn’t go quite to plan, with his heavy crash during Practice One ruling him out of most of the second session. Saturday's rainy conditions meant an even more unproductive day for Hamilton, but with everybody else in the same boat, the McLaren driver is optimistic…

Q: Lewis, what exactly happened to you on Friday?
Lewis Hamilton: I crashed. In the early laps of the first practice session! But the guys did an incredible job to bring the car back for at least the last laps of session two.

Q: Are you trying too hard?
LH: I was probably trying too hard. But had the gravel not been so slippery at that part of the track, the damage would have been a lot less. It was a very unlucky situation because you saw various people going off the track and suffer a lot less damage.

Q: When you went out for the last ten minutes of Friday’s session, did you get a feeling for the updates on the car - and for the track?
LH: Well, I didn’t get a real feel of where the car is at the moment. There was a different feeling because of the rear wing, but with today’s conditions, which meant we haven’t run at all, and the few laps we did on Friday, it is hard to say anything definite.

Q: Are there enough spare parts of the new updates after you went off track on Friday?
LH: Yes there are. And now, with a bit of extra time to fix it the car it will be as good as new on Sunday.

Q: So how was it on the track on Saturday?
LH: It was unbelievable! Some of the worst conditions I have ever experienced in Formula One. Rivers were coming across the track from one side to the other. It was just crazy! I like going out in the wet, but to keep the tyres at the right temperature we have to go at a certain pace and that was completely impossible. There was aquaplaning everywhere. These cars are so strong - I think we are putting 700 or 800 horsepower down - and then to try to pull away in fourth gear! You just feel like a passenger.

Q: How have you kept busy while you were waiting?
LH: I was sleeping at the back of the garage, and every time there was a new time set to check the track they woke me up 15 minutes beforehand.

Q: But the conditions are to your advantage…
LH: Definitely. Yesterday I did so much damage to the ca, so the guys now have enough time to fix everything perfectly again. Because when we got ready for Practice Three this morning the car was not 100 percent, but tomorrow it will be.

Q: What about Sunday? Qualifying is set for 10 in the morning, but the conditions could stay the same as they were on Saturday…
LH: Obviously we will all have to arrive much earlier than we normally do on a race Sunday. I guess we will all be here at 7/7.30 for what will be an unusually long Sunday! Naturally it will be paramount not to damage the car, as there will only be three hours between qualifying and the race and it would be very hard to repair a lot of damage. I definitely hope that the conditions will be better tomorrow.

Q: What will happen if the conditions do not improve?
LH: Well, I definitely would like to do qualifying, but I could also go with the worst-case scenario as then Jenson (Button) would start from pole position and I would start from P2, as we would then start according to our car numbers. But once again - I would still prefer to have a qualifying session, even if it is wet or damp.

Q: Qualifying and race on the one day, do you see that ‘overtime’?
LH: We drivers like to drive so this is not an issue. And as I have done no driving this weekend I am very much looking forward to getting back into the car again.

Q: What are your expectations for Sunday?
LH: I don’t think we have any expectations. I want to get through qualifying safely and get as good a position as possible with the limited time that I have on the track. In the race, I hope to make my way forward and score as many points as I can.

Source: Formula1.ccom

Lewis Hamilton will not change ways - Japanese GP

Source: WeeklyF1

Kimi Räikkönen Furious SS10 at Rallye de France 2010

Source: bigraikkonenfan5

Hamilton has 'changed attitude' after recent crashes

After crashing out of the consecutive Italian and Singapore grands prix, Lewis Hamilton has vowed a different approach to the remaining races in 2010

Before his terminal crash into Felipe Massa at Monza, and then Mark Webber last Sunday, the McLaren driver was considered a favourite for the world championship.

But he is now 20 points adrift with four - or three, depending on embattled Korea's fate - races to go.

"I've changed my attitude," he said in an interview with Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper.

"I'm not looking at the world championship any more. I will try to win the next races but above all I want to enjoy my racing," added the Briton.

Hamilton's new attitude may also be explained by the nature of the forthcoming races, with Red Bull and Ferrari expected to set the pace at Suzuka next weekend.

"The types of corners (at Suzuka) will be most favourable to Red Bull," Ferrari test driver Marc Gene wrote in his El Mundo column.

"It wouldn't surprise me to see them better than the rest and very difficult to beat. But we will have improvements so you can't rule us out for the win," added the Spaniard.

While Ferrari has undoubtedly closed the gap to Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel said recently that the Japanese venue was so suitable for the RB6 that it seems John Hugenholtz "made Suzuka for us".

"And all the other tracks should suit our car as well. Korea is the only unknown one, but that's the same for everyone," the German told Bild newspaper.

McLaren's Jenson Button, now the lowest-ranked of the five contenders and 25 points behind leader Webber, said before returning to the UK for simulation tests: "Hopefully Korea goes ahead."

Another concern for Ferrari is engine usage, given that if Fernando Alonso needs to fit another unit before the Abu Dhabi finale, he will take a ten-place grid penalty.

"There is no reason to think too much about it," a Ferrari engineer is quoted by El Pais newspaper.

"In Singapore Fernando used an engine that had already done two races," he explained, adding that the difference between a new and old engine is "not much more" than 2 horse power.

Source: Motorsport.com

Lewis Hamilton Can't explain Crash

Source: WeeklyF1