Alonso's horror crash: McLaren overturns several times

E in HaasF1 in the sand, a tattered McLaren on the roof. When the first images of the remains of the collision between Fernando Alonso and Esteban Gutierrez flickered on the TV screen, one had to fear the worst. But then Alonso crawled vigorously shaken but unharmed from his overturned car. 'I wanted to show my relatives that I was fine.'

Some asked themselves: Would Alonso have got out of the car so quickly if the McLaren had already had the halo over the cockpit planned for 2017. 'That's an interesting question. We have to investigate that,' mused the pilot. The answer: He certainly wouldn't have got out that fast.

The telemetry data provided the speeds of the two cars in the collision. Gutierrez was traveling at 307 km /h, Alonso at 310 km /h. The impact speed could not yet be determined because the McLaren lost 2 wheels the first time it hit the wall. The second contact with the wall was not so hard after a 100 meters odyssey in the air. The FIA ​​will be evaluating the accident recorder in the next few days.

Brundle explains the problem with Turn 3

After After an investigation into the accident, the stewards decided not to issue any penalties. In their opinion it is a normal racing accident. It is fatally reminiscent of two collisions in the same place. In 2001 Jacques Villeneuve drove on Ralf Schumacher's Williams. A marshal was killed by a flying wheel. In 1996, Martin Brundle overturned on the starting lap after he was promoted to the Sauber from Johnny Herbert.

Brundle could feel with Alonso. 'If you're deep in the car and you're in a duel with someone else, this corner comes closer faster than you think. You're so fixated on the car in front that it's incredibly easy to misjudge yourself. I'm surprised that nothing more happens there. I think Gutierrez hit the brakes a little earlier and surprised Fernando. '

The HaasF1 used a power reduction system

Gutierrez actually braked at the same point as on the previous lap. But he came out of the second corner badly, so that the McLaren could catch up in his slipstream. And then something happened that has only been there sinceHybrid age there. On the HaasF1, the so-called power reduction mode started at the end of the straight. If the battery level is too low, the electronics automatically switch to charging mode. Then suddenly the engine is missing 150 hp and the car brakes.

In this case, the following driver is warned by a flashing red light in the rear. Apparently at that moment Alonso saw the chance to pull by with DRS. Gutierrez drifted slightly to the left from the middle of the road, and it wasn't quite enough for his opponent to drive past the left rear wheel of the HaasF1.

'I wanted to pull in the slipstream and pull out at the last moment. Maybe that was something too late and I missed the braking point. You concentrate so much on the slipstream and only see the rear wing ', the Spanuer told the accident from his point of view.

Alonso mourns lost points