The Cause of Fernando Alonso's Crash

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Found some British media sources claiming Alonso is unhurt, has been released from hospital and will race in Melbourne.

So maybe the crash coincided with some sort of appointment...

[greentrumpet]

Or disappointment that the '15 Ferrari seems better even after Teflonso took his 0.6 sec away.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

Having read a lot about the Alonso situation and assuming we are being told the truth by McLaren and Alonso's manager I have come up with a theory.

There are 2 possible explations as to why Alonso spent so long in hospital.
One is that he had/has an underlying condition that may have contributed to the crash. The other is they found he had some other medical problem when they carried out the tests while in hospital.
All we have been told is that he was not injured in the crash and I can see no other resnoble explanations.

I think I will go with Gary Hartstein on this:

"The leading conspiracy theory at present is that some sort of seizure may have caused Alonso to crash.
Former F1 doctor Gary Hartstein said on Twitter: "Gut feeling? He's had a medical problem that caused him to stop his car. I hope that's not the case."
Dennis did not completely rule that out, but said McLaren has "no data" to support the theory.
He said Alonso suffered memory loss but, amazingly, Dennis admitted to not actually asking the Spaniard his opinion about what caused the crash."

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns30060.html


Probably fainted due to low blood sugar caused by the "world dieting championship", as drivers try to get down to ever more ridiculously low weights.

[F1Pete]

I heard the same thing....he passed out before the actual crash and doctors were trying to figure out why (and not caused by electricution). A friend told me that he read it on Reddit.

[wnut]

[Mike Harte]

This is all really idle speculation on behalf of everyone, and as usual, people, especially some reporters, will take statements totally out of context, and will also conflate statements/stories from two different sources to try to make a point, i.e.2+2=5.

Gary Hartstein has no inside knowledge as he is no longrer the FIA's appointed medical chief, so his views are purely a hypothesis, and therefore so is Dennis' response to a hypothetical.

One further thing; McLaren have already acknowledged that, after the car moved off the Astroturf but just prior to the car hitting the retaining wall, Alonso down-shifted using the flappy-paddle on the steering wheel. This would seem to indicate that he was concious as he went from one side of the track to the other.

As for his memory loss and his not being questioned by Mclaren/Dennis about the accident, it could be as simple as McLaren being informed by the medical staff or Alonso's manager that he has no recollection of the incident rather than McLaren asking him directly.

I know that in today's world everyone wants instant gratification or answers. But why not be a little patient and wait until either Alonso or McLaren issue a statement that clarifies the matter. The facts at the moment are that Alonso will not be driving this week, and that it is highly unlikely - I am sure that it should be put far more strongly - that McLaren would allow Button (or anybody else for that matter) go out in the car if Alonso was electrocuted or similar by the car's systems. I don't believe that Honda would have been able to redesign the power-unit, and build replacements, in the limited time since the incidence.

[bauble]

Originally Posted by bauble

I read that McLaren are blaming the wind for Alonso's accident.

I wonder what he had for breakfast to cause that?

We've come a long way since my original joke!

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I know that in today's world everyone wants instant gratification or answers. But why not be a little patient and wait until either Alonso or McLaren issue a statement that clarifies the matter. The facts at the moment are that Alonso will not be driving this week, and that it is highly unlikely - I am sure that it should be put far more strongly - that McLaren would allow Button (or anybody else for that matter) go out in the car if Alonso was electrocuted or similar by the car's systems. I don't believe that Honda would have been able to redesign the power-unit, and build replacements, in the limited time since the incidence.

people do want instant gratification but is that the problem here?

both Mclaren and Alonso's camp has come out with comments that seemed to me to be contradictory.

usually when an athlete gets hurt the flow of information is controlled and issued with one voice in order to avoid rampant speculation.

maybe this is more true for contact oriented sports like football and hockey but when the team and player's camp dont fully coordinate their statements about injuries or return to active status there is usually more going on.

not placing blame on any one side here but there is a history here.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

people do want instant gratification but is that the problem here?

both Mclaren and Alonso's camp has come out with comments that seemed to me to be contradictory.

usually when an athlete gets hurt the flow of information is controlled and issued with one voice in order to avoid rampant speculation.

maybe this is more true for contact oriented sports like football and hockey but when the team and player's camp dont fully coordinate their statements about injuries or return to active status there is usually more going on.

not placing blame on any one side here but there is a history here.

I think in fairness Mike people want the truth, and BS comes riddled with holes and leads to rampant speculation, as does lack of information.

Perhaps McLaren and Alonso should try a little honesty!

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by wnut

I think in fairness Mike people want the truth, and BS comes riddled with holes and leads to rampant speculation, as does lack of information.

Perhaps McLaren and Alonso should try a little honesty!

There is obviously a medical problem associated with the crash, whether that be prior, during or after the incident.

Honesty should be applied, but I do think that McLaren's position is currently the correct one; they state that any medical information must be released by Alonso, or at least let Alonson provide permission for them to make any necessary medical announcements.

This is unlike some of the other crashes, where the driver has been incapacitated. Here, so we are led to believe, Alonso has his full faculties now that he has left the hospital, so it is him that should explain to the public what the problem is, and what they are doing to rectify it.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

There is obviously a medical problem associated with the crash, whether that be prior, during or after the incident.

Honesty should be applied, but I do think that McLaren's position is currently the correct one; they state that any medical information must be released by Alonso, or at least let Alonson provide permission for them to make any necessary medical announcements.

This is unlike some of the other crashes, where the driver has been incapacitated. Here, so we are led to believe, Alonso has his full faculties now that he has left the hospital, so it is him that should explain to the public what the problem is, and what they are doing to rectify it.

And yet we have the whole "wind caused the crash" released by McLaren,
shame on them!

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by wnut

And yet we have the whole "wind caused the crash" released by McLaren,
shame on them!

To be fair to McLaren, at least two other drivers have confirmed that the wind was a problem for them that day as it was gusting quite a lot. One of them, Sainz, admits that he believes that the gusting wind was a factor in his crash.

And I think that McLaren only said that they believed that the wind was a factor in the crash, not the sole cause.

[steve nielsen]

Alonso will NOT start in the Australian GP McLaren have confirmed

http://www.mclaren.com/formula1/insi...edical-update/

[Greem]

If it wasn't such a serious issue this would all seem a bit pantomime...

Oh, yes he is (concussed)
Oh, no he isn't
Oh, yes he is...

I do hope he has no genuine long-term problems as a result of whatever it was that happened.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

One of them, Sainz, admits that he believes that the gusting wind was a factor in his crash.

the funny thing is that if it was just sainz who had crashed it would have been the silly inexperienced drivers fault, we shouldn't be putting young guys in the car blah blah blah.

hope alonso gets well soon and that resting him is just a precaution because he was knocked out. but the press release reads terribly, mclaren aren't handling this well at all. it just looks like they're accusing him of throwing a sickie!

[pauln]

I read it more in the same light as Franchitti's reasons for retiring. Concussion is a tricky beast and the long-term effects are becoming a serious concern in many sports (rugby is another key example).

Alonso may well appear to be in good health and feel well enough, but it's sensible to heed the medical advice.

[bella]

it's just the way that the first thing they said was the doctors found him completely fit and there's nothing wrong with him... but he's signed off sick anyway.

if they'd been honest all along it would have been better. in fact, asking a doctor to comment for the press release would have been ideal, or even an expert from the sports concussion charities that campaign for awareness. this is a great situation to increase awareness of the dangers and issues around head injuries, and i think by working in conjunction with that kind of an organisation mclaren could have really done themselves a favour.

just for clarity, i don't go along with any of the conspiracy theories at all, they're complete nonsense, but i do think it hasn't been handled very well.

[Scooter185]

I read the release as "there's nothing physically wrong with Fernando, and we would like to keep it that way. The doctors advised him to sit out just in case"

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by Scooter185

I read the release as "there's nothing physically wrong with Fernando, and we would like to keep it that way. The doctors advised him to sit out just in case"

but if there is nothing wrong with him why was he advised to skip this GP?

[Scooter185]

Originally Posted by steve nielsen

but if there is nothing wrong with him why was he advised to skip this GP?

Ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Even without a concussion diagnosed, head injuries make future injuries easier. Especially in F1, with the g-forces sustained -more so in a wreck.

[Paradise City]

I actually think rookie drivers crashing/spinning/messing about in testing is a good sign. They are searching and finding their limits, pushing the envelope..et al. Alonso in his new car was probably doing the same in a certain sense.

[bella]

in the old days of many, many test days i agree, but nowadays is there the time to recover from one of your new drivers damaging the car whilst he's trying to find the limits?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by pauln

I read it more in the same light as Franchitti's reasons for retiring. Concussion is a tricky beast and the long-term effects are becoming a serious concern in many sports (rugby is another key example).

Alonso may well appear to be in good health and feel well enough, but it's sensible to heed the medical advice.

Franchitti also fractured his vertibrae and right ankle, as well as being concussed.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by bella

it's just the way that the first thing they said was the doctors found him completely fit and there's nothing wrong with him... but he's signed off sick anyway.

if they'd been honest all along it would have been better. in fact, asking a doctor to comment for the press release would have been ideal, or even an expert from the sports concussion charities that campaign for awareness. this is a great situation to increase awareness of the dangers and issues around head injuries, and i think by working in conjunction with that kind of an organisation mclaren could have really done themselves a favour.

just for clarity, i don't go along with any of the conspiracy theories at all, they're complete nonsense, but i do think it hasn't been handled very well.

Not so, and I can only repeat what I said before; in the current circumstances, McLaren are not in control of the flow of medical information.

It sounds as though the Alonso camp had placed an embargo on the release of the medical details surrounding this incident, and data protection laws being what they are, especially when medical information is concerned, McLaren had to adhere to Alonso's requests. Now that his medical advisors have informed him that he should not participate in Australia, Alonso had to, at last, allow McLaren to release the medical statement.

Like you, Bella, I don't think that this has been handled well, or that it is/was a conspiracy, but I do believe that it was Alonso's desire for privacy that has driven matters (the Spanish, in particular, do tend to hound him if the opportunity arises) leading to the position that McLaren has found itself in.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Like you, Bella, I don't think that this has been handled well, or that it is/was a conspiracy, but I do believe that it was Alonso's desire for privacy that has driven matters (the Spanish, in particular, do tend to hound him if the opportunity arises) leading to the position that McLaren has found itself in.

that could be the case. but this kind of a thing always annoys me. the very simple answer to this is always to relinquish factual information. what's so secret squirrel about having a concussion and needing to step back to allow the brain to recover?

they don't need to go into full detail like "well, he had a little sick overnight and had to go to the loo three times but he enjoyed his breakfast toast and jam as usual". that's not what the press and fans are looking for.

it's a symptom of the balance of news reporting changing. before you had newspaper and specialist media reporting on the source, and they had the opportunity to research and properly write about the situation. now you have one source, and the readers connect directly to that immediately and do their own research. their interpretation - almost always duff in one way or another because they don't have the facts to hand, or the connections to find the facts - is beamed around the globe.