Marussia’s test-driver Maria de Villota is said to have ‘life threatening injuries’ following an accident during testing at Duxford Aerodrome. The 32 year old is said to have crashed into the ramp of a team-trailer at 9:15am this morning. She had just completed her installation lap in preparation for the two day test at the Cambridgeshire venue.
Chris Mann, a correspondent for BBC Cambridgeshire witnessed the crash. “The car suddenly accelerated into the big truck and there was a sort of board down, like a loading board, and the car went careering into the side of that, probably only 20 to 30 mph at that point…they called, as I understand, for an air ambulance to come in, but there is obviously the site ambulance here”. He later added, “from where I was standing it looked like the helmet took the brunt of the impact”.
In a statement the East of England Ambulance Service said, “a woman has been taken to hospital with serious injuries following an earlier road traffic collision this morning, Tuesday, July 3.”
“The East of England Ambulance Service were alerted to Duxford Imperial Museum at 9.17am. An ambulance, a duty mamager and MAGPAS attended the scene.”
A spokesman for the Ambulance Service, Gary Sanderson, said: “A woman has sustained life threatening injuries and following treatment at the scene by paramedics, she has been taken to Addenbrookes Hospital for further care.”
At 10:45am the Marussia F1 Team issued the following statement:
“At approximately 09.15hrs BST this morning, the Marussia F1 Team’s Test Driver Maria De Villota had an accident in the team’s MR-01 race car at Duxford Airfield where she was testing the car for the first time. The accident happened at the end of her first installation run and involved an impact with the team’s support truck.”
“Maria has been transferred to hospital. Once her medical condition has been assessed a further statement will be issued.”
According to the BBC, the Emergency medical charity Magpas who treated and transported Villota to Addenbrookes for treatment, have said she sustained “facial and head injuries” but was in a stable condition on arrival to hospital.
Duxford Aerodrome is a former World War Two base, now home of the Imperial War Museum, and used by modern day F1 teams to conduct high-speed testing using it’s longer 1,503m runway.
We’ll continue to update this article as we learn more. Meanwhile, all our thoughts are with Maria and we wish her a full and speedy recovery.
Forum discussion – https://www.forumula1.com/wp1/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11813
East of England Ambulance Service – Statement
Statement from Marussia F1 Team
BBC’s Chris Mann on accident
Last updated – 13:03pm 03/07/2012
