Female F1 driver fighting for life after crash

LONDON (AFP) –

Maria de Villota at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in March. Spanish Formula One driver Maria De Villota is fighting for her life on Tuesday after suffering serious injuries during a crash in testing for the Marussia team, it was confirmed.

Spanish Formula One driver Maria De Villota was fighting for her life on Tuesday after suffering serious injuries during a crash in testing for the Marussia team, it was confirmed.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service told the BBC De Villota had sustained “life-threatening injuries” in the early morning crash at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire.

Marussia confirmed in a statement that the 32-year-old test driver from Madrid had been transferred to hospital after her car collided with a support vehicle during a test lap.

“At approximately 9.15am (0815 GMT) 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,” Marussia said.

“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.”

De Villota, the daughter of former Spanish Formula One driver Emilio De Villota, was given a test drive by Renault last year and has previously raced in Spanish Formula Three and the Daytona 24 Hours.

Marussia began racing in 2010 under the Virgin banner. The team rebranded as Marussia in 2012, with Charles Pic driving alongside Timo Glock.

The team has struggled to make any impression on the championship however, failing to score any points this season.